The Legend of Spyro Seeds of Doubt
by UnknownandRedacted
Summary: Set after Dawn of the Dragon Spyro and Cynder begin to adventure again. The heroes will first need to attend to some unfinished business first however. Where will their travels take them and what dangers will they face? Reviews, criticisms and ideas are all appreciated. even if its just saying "good job" It helps with motivation.
1. Prologue

Darkness and a numb sensation enveloped my every fiber and planted its roots deep in my consiousness. Or rather my unconsious mind.My mind is still active so i must not be dead, only exhausted from the amount of energy I expended that forced the world to piece itself back together. I'm exausted after that so I think I'll rest for a while, where I am, I do not know but neither do I care. If the world traps me within its core then so be it, I would give anything for a bit of sleep now.

That's not entirely true. I wouldn't give up the lives of my friends for anything in this world or beyond it. My friends. They are all safe in warfang, except a black dragoness that was forced to come here with me! 'I must wake up and get her to safety!' I thought as I opened up my eyes and threw up my head a little too quick as I am now light headed and see dark spots in my vision.

I closed my eyes waiting for the blood to return to my brain that it craved so much, when I opened them my sensed came normally as if nothing ever happened. Fatigued I looked arount to see grass, trees, bushes and most Importantly the aforementioned black dragoness named Cynder. She was laying on her belly keeping watch for nothing in particular, she wasn't looking in my direction nor did she hear my gasps for breath or the silent pained moan I let out when my vision was infested with dark splotches.

Cynder was completely lost in the pleasant chilled wind the earth exhaled unto this valley we lay in, listening to the birds chirping and leaves rustling. No harm in having a little fun here right? I laid my head back down and shut my eyes, I started to spasm and convulse much to the dismay of my tired muscles. The artificial scene drew her attention as i hit the ground with my entire flank, head and tail drawing her from her tranquil trance.

" Spyro?!" she yelled with confusion and worry present in her voice. She laid a paw on my side which at her touch I only had pleasant sensations as my endorphins released a warm feeling throughout my body. A pleased smile tried to come onto my face but I couldn't let up the illusion that soon. Ohhh no, the fun was just beginning.

I hid the smile behind a grimace and an agonized yell and she immediately yanked her paw back as I went limp and breathed in short gasps only croaking out " The pain." in a strained voice as if the wind was knocked out of me. Cynder looked at me with pleading eyes, slightly glistening with tears as if I would give her a clue about how to help.

The sight of her saddened eyes pulled at my heart and guilt set in. it was time to end this charade. In one last big convulsion and a shout of agony I once again went limp and breathed with each getting slower and more labored, after the 13th i slowly let out an audible sigh as if it were my last lungfuls of air my body would ever receive and left my unmoving eye open with the rest of my facial muscles loose. I focused on nothing as to not move my eye but the dragoness made ot difficut as she flopped herself over my neck with head buried in her paws, sobbing.

She believed she just lost her best friend, damn I'm a good actor. Once I felt the warm wet sensation of her tears on my scales I couldn't bear the grief for her sadness anymore. I gingerly moved my tail ro wrap around hers which she unknowingly accepted gratefully and squeezed tightly, which she then noticed the movement and looked at the two intertwined masses through blurry eyes and then back to mine. After blinking my now dry orbs I bashfully said " Hell of a tear jerking perfomance huh?" She only giggled and threw her arms around my neck and sighed with satisfied relief at the revelation.

This didn't last long however as she pushed herself back and planted a decent scratch across my snout. "I deserved that." was my only response as she went off in a huff to a nearby river. For five minutes she did nothing but pout, looking pensively at her reflection.

"Ah damn it all" I muttered as i got up and slowly made my way over to her.

"I'm sorry I did that to you, it was wrong and I knew it wa-"

"Go away." she cut me off.

"Look how can I make it up to you?" you wat a back rub?"

" That would be a start, but not right now. Im busy being-"

" pouty, childish, a complete pain in the tail?" I tried to answer for her.

" I was going to say pissy but the first two work, as for the third I have the right to be after what you pulled." She was right, there was nothing more to say after that. carefully thinking through my next plan to get her to not hate me and I thought of what she said back in the center of the world.

I nuzzled her neck just below the side of her head and prepared myself for what is probably going to be the most awkward moment of my life " Hey Cyn, I heard what you said back there."

She sprung away with a shocked yelp, probably out of surprise that I had heard her and remembered it or the fact that I used what i would use as her pet name, maybe both for that matter. Just under her dark scales I saw her cheeks take a slight red hue, almost turning them a darker shade of her magenta underbelly. Though it would go unnoticed for most, i have seen the difference on some occasions, we would be flying or walking and I would feel like we were being watched, I would glance behind me just to see her dart her head away and cheeks flush. This happened many times in the Valley of Avalar and even once when we blew the dam.

The right side of my mouth tugged upward into a slight smirk seeing her reaction and stepped foreward to drink from the stream. "W-wh- what do you mean? I didn't hear anything down there? You must be going crazy I didn't say a word!" she rambled on

At this point I stopped listening but instead chuckled slightly as I withdrew my maw from the crystal blue water. I turned to her, the anticipation tugging at my brain stem pleaded me to stop, placed my paw on her shoulder, the anxiety grew futher. She let out a slight yelp as it landed. Five words was all it took.

"Cyn" she silenced and sat bashfully with the blush ever more prevelant on her snout. " you talk too much." And with that I played my trump card. My lips met with hers as butterflies exited their cocoons and began their newly gifted flight in my gut. I pulled away after a few wonderously long seconds as my euphoria was unquenchable, hoping to extend this moment in my memory.

She turned away from me with her cheeks now red without any chance to hide under those dim scales. My ever lasting confidence told me to say something bold but my brain told me to play it safe. I took heed to its word and whispered to her. "_It'll be our little secret_" she choked on her next words stunned by my confident affection toward her that I never showed before. "Ok"

With that we flew off.


	2. About the Writer

BEFORE YOU SKIP, I URGE YOU TO READ THIS. MAINLY HOW I WILL BE WITING AND UPLOADING.

Hello, and sorry to make you think this is another chapter if you are even reading this. I wanted to tell you a bit about me and about how I will upload. I am a senior in high school as of writing this and am taking college classes so I am pressed for time. I can usually get around a half hour to a full one most days between classes, assignments, homework and my own reading.

Onto how I will be writing and uploading the story.

I will upload a chapter hopefully every week on either Saturday or Sunday although you may not see it until Monday because I 1. Procrastinate 2. I am proof reading or editing parts to make the story flow better or 3. I upload it late.

I am open to reviews and suggestions as to how you guys would like the story to go and if there are any spelling errors, feel free to bing it to my attention. any PMs or reviews I will try to answer as they appear.

Thank you for taking the time to read this little segment about me and the story. I sincerely hope it will meet your expectations.


	3. Let the World Resolve Itself

**Quick disclaimer, I do not own anything except the characters in this story that I make up and the events after this chapter. Sierra Entertainment made the Legend games and I am in no way affiliated with them. except for loving the hell out of the legend games. Without further rambling here is the next chapter. Enjoy!**

As we flew over the somewhat melded layers of earth we call the planet we inhabit, my eyes searched the horizon for a spot to land as we flew for hours so far. The shock of my earlier actions has since worn off but the memory replayed itself in our minds over and over again. The gentle pressure that was between us connected by only our lips. Mine and hers, nothing else matters. At this point I knew the truth, I loved her too, although I should save that ace for a rainy day or at least when I want to embarrass her.

"There to the left" my eyes followed the words and sure enough there was a perfect clearing in the woods with a pond nearby, feeding off of a crystal river also regurgitating the water into another outlet.

"Ok lets go." as we shifted our wings slightly to make us turn toward the ideal spot. Soft and slightly damp grass was crushed under the weight of our paws when we touched down. Needless to say it was more pleasant than the ashen ground and lava pools past the ring of fire. "Finally, some rest where we dont have to worry about being ambushed or having our throats cut in our sleep." A femenine moan of satisfaction escaped my companion accompanied by some popping joints as she stretched.

"Yeah, that fight was really" I yawned quite loudly "tiring, not to mention the energy the mending took." I collapsed in the clearing trying to recover from the fatigue that replaced the long since faded adrenaline. " I'm going to lay here for a bit. You can do what you want for a while."

"hmph, I can you say?" Cynder asked for verification.

"yep." I responded already drifting off.

"Then what should I do with this chain?"

My eyes bolted open at the question. "Crap." THE CHAIN, THE THRICE DAMNED CHAIN. It got in the way in the beginning but as we learned to move and fight as a team it was more of a dynamic between the duo. It looks like it will be a hinderance once again now that they can travel with only a minimal risk of being attacked. With maximum effort I rolled over and stood up. "Where to then?"

"The water, I want to take a bath and I don't know about you but the flames of hell we fought through and that crusible of the center of the earth. Water is exactly what is needed right now." she said poignantly

"Alright then, but I want something in return." I said with a predatory smirk forming itself on my mouth. She was obviously caught of guard by my response as she went wide eyed for a moment then shifted her gaze over the extremely interesting ground.

"Which is" she nervously inquired after mulling over what was said.

"Turn around"

"Wh-WHAT? WHAT FOR?" she shouted, not thinking about this request when she calculated what I could have asked of her.

"Just do it." I mused a loud as she turned a deep shade of red, like a good wine that was meant to be savored by my apparently sadistic orders. Cynder, obviously abashed by the thoughts she had in that moment, did as I asked and sat down.

"You are not ready for this" I said as I stepped over her tail, voice devoid of kindness but was replaced instead my malicious intent. She shuddered and let out a soft wimper as my warm breath caressed and danced along her scales, feeding my masculine ego further.

"Do you trust me?" I demanded an answer.

"Y-Yes." she hesitated, voice full of uncertainty and a hint of fear. With that I flopped my exhausted body on her back, "Carry me." An audible femenine sigh filled with both relief and strain pierced the air as she tried to get up, eventually lifting her rump off the ground.

She strained in effort and through gritted teeth complained "Shouldn't this be the other way around, I mean by the ancestors I'm the female here." With that I chuckled and in a squealy high pitched voice replied "Not even," I scoffed and added "Don't even THINK about mentioning my weight!" With that Cynder released a strained giggle and collapsed at the waters edge. I began to roll off onto my back.

After a few composing seconds and deep breaths, her chest expanding and contracting with each intake and exhale. The movement had me hypnotized, I watched infatuated as the magenta and black clad figure stood and sighed "I earned this."

She was about to step in and my breath stopped in my trachea as the eye candy was about to distort and hide its natural beauty under the azure field. She withdrew her paw with a quick jerk and she threw her emerald eyes to my direction and mentioned saucily "No looking." With that I rolled my eyes and looked elsewhere, a splash hit my snout and drew my attention to the female that breached like the most magestic dolphins. Wiping off the brisk water I called out to her "How is it?"

"Heavenly. Care to join me?"

"Can I look?" the smirk once again wrenching its way onto my maw.

"Never mind!" The voice of my most valued... friend quickly responded.

With a chuckle I rolled onto my feet and stepped in, the soothing liquid caressing my scales, cooling the muscles underneath and numbing the ache slightly. Once again, she was right. The soothing fluid consumed more of my body as I stepped in, one paw after another. As I started to unwind a familiar friend swam up to me and stopped. Her piercing eyes scrutinizing every detail of my muscular body from chest to tail, as much as the water and soot allowed anyway. With a raised brow I asked " I thought you said no looking? Not that I'm complaining."

"I get to." she replied with an impressed tone and smiling lustfully, liking what those green eyes relayed to her brain. 'Might as well give her a show' I thought as I began to rub the caked ash off of my purple scales and yellow plating. Once my muscles were showing I began to stretch, flexing them which gained an approving purr from Cynder's throat. With that I repeated the process. Each new group of strengthened muscles that got exposed stressed much to the females satisfaction, I gained more purrs. after I was cleaned thoroughly, I flicked wayer at the girl with my wing tip to which she flinched as the water landed on her snout.

"Gonna return the favor now?" I asked with a sly grin. "Or are you too shy." I added.

" I..I umm. I guess I could." she reduced her stammer to a wisper and flushed red at the thought.

"It's ok, you don't have to. I mean. All I have to do is go back to warfang and take my pick, I'm sure there are plenty of women that would willingly do things that would give a chastity priest a heart attack, stroke and aneurysm all at the same time! Oh well" I finished with a saddened sigh " missed opportunities and the like." With that I propelled myself into the water and breached with a spin, completely refreshed I shouted down to her " Come on! You need to hurry up, the thought of all those ladies are making me eager to get back."

" Don't even THINK about it you self confident bastard!" Cynder yelled challenging me to act. Finally showing some resistance and jealousy I dove back with a few lazy spins and surfaced in front of her "I guess we could stay for a while, we've earned a rest for a while." I looked to the sky in contemplation.

" What's up?" she asked slightly concerned but more curious than anything.

"Women" I stated plainly with dreaming eyes and a flutter of my eyelids, exhailing with ecstacy. All of a sudden I couldn't draw a breath, my empty lungs screaming in agony as my body was deprived of oxygen. A dull but excrutiating pain throbbed in my chest, I looked down and a clenched black fist was withdrawing itself from my golden plating, thick as it was it didn't seem to help with the blow.

My now bloodshot eyes, welling with tears of agony, traced the paw seeing it connected to an arm, then an elegant body, working my gaze to a snarled black maw accompanied by narrowed eyes. Feral with seething anger and resentment, the emerald orbs were ripe with anger but their beauty overshadowed the danger. "Aww I'm sorry, did I crush your ego?" Voice full of fake concern

"Why are *cough* you *cough* so mean" I pleaded with the meekness of a hatchling while choking on my own saliva that entered my lungs along with gulps of life giving breath.

"Cry me a river." I obliged by flicking a tear off of my claw toward the outlet downstream. "Better." she proclaimed with voice full of resolve but turned venomous "Now, what were you actually thinking about?"

Once composed I replied "Just thinking. I mean, the prophecy has been fulfilled, where are we going from here. Where do we go, how do we know."

"We go where we want. We have each other and there is nothing compelling us to go anywhrre. We blaze our own trails, after we get this off of course." She tapped the form of a snake charm arounder her neck, the jade was radiating with an invisible bond between the two necklaces that was only visible at distance.

" Of course, we'll head back to warfang, speak with the guardians and see if anyone has the knowledge to remove it." the thought saddened me, she could just walk away and I could lose her forever. "But for now we can let the world resolve itself while we rest."

We wandered back to the clearing and layed down, after a while I heard Cynder get up. "Spyro?"

"Yeah?."

"Could I lay down with you for a while?"

"Sure come here." I opened my wing and legs for her to sleep next to me. She gladly laid on my wing that covered the cold earth and curled up into my chest. When she got comfortable I wrapped my legs and wing around her, effectively blocking her from the outside elements.

I gently and lovingly licked her smooth snout and wispered " Sleep well. I love you."

With that she purred and pressed herself deeper into my embrace and drifted off. _'Tomorrows problems can wait__.' _I soon followed suit and drifted into blissful nothingness.

**I felt wrong leaving off with that information so I decided to quickly finish this chapter and get it out in advance. Sorry it wasn't as long as I wanted it to be so it probably didn't live up to expectations. Either way I digress, this chapter is done and the next will be better. Also I wrote in the past tense as if it was a remembrance of these events. The next ones will be in present and in 3rd person. Enough rambling from me, remember to review so I can get an understanding of what you guys want from this story. BYE AND THANKS FOR READING! **


	4. Grief

**Screw it. I know I said it would be in present tense but I will write this how it feels right to.**

"WHERE THE HELL ARE WE!" Spyro shouted over the wind so she could hear him. "WE'VE BEEN FLYING FOR DAYS"

"I HAVE NO CLUE. THE MAIN CHUTE OF THE VOCANO COLLAPSED SO I BROUGHT US OUT A DIFFERENT WAY. LET'S GO UP, GET ABOVE THE WIND!"

"GOOD IDEA" as they ascended Spyro thought of how to navigate their way to warfang. It has been almost five days since the world has ended and reformed and they still haven't found their way back.

" That's better, now where are we?" Cynder questioned her companion as they soared over the now almost intact landscape, eyes scanning the densely forested mountains for any landmarks.

" Wait, YOU don't even know where we are? Well I think it's safe to say that without a destiny guided by a prophecy we are thoroughly screwed." Cynder rolled her emerald eyes hearing the frustration in the voice of her ally. It isn't her fault the world didn't repair itself like nothing ever happened. So what if she took an opening that could have, for all she knows, led to the complete opposite side of the world.

With a sigh spyro said " Doesn't matter. Remember when we were following hunter down the forbidden tunnel? He told us how to make our way back to warfang no matter where we are." She remembered the conversation well then.

_"If for whatever reason you get lost, the stars will act as your guide. The form of Drakon, the first dragon, is the best one for guidance. The eye is his brightest star, it points true north. The spearhead like tail points south and the wing tips point east and west respectively. His heart lies directly above Warfang, this star looks orange as the flames of a calm fire. Let him serve you as a priest would serve the ancestors. However he will only appear at night"_

" Couldn't have remembered that FOUR FRIGGIN DAYS AGO! FOR ANCESTORS SAKE WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN TO THE CITY AGES AGO!" Cynder had to vent, the tensions of travel were wearing her nerves thin as a single strand from a thread.

"Sorry... I haven't been thinking right for a while. Just not able to focus and zoning out, hopefully Volteer will be able to help. He is a damned genius after all, what's a little psychology to him." The explanation was an excuse, but a valid one, she should not be so hard on her friend, HER SAVIOR for the love of all that is right in the world!

Cynder let out a defeated sigh "No. I should be the one apologizing, I'm being too hard on you and it's not justified." In a fashion that is stereotypical for somber situations, It started raining.

" Great, God Went North, Nothing More. There's a cave in the mountainside there, it should shelter us from the wind. If not then the rain at least." Without another word they flew in silence until they reached the opening into the safety of darkness with a beacon of light from the mouth of the stony giant.

Spyro made his way in and pensively laid down, almost depressed, as his wings were wrapped tightly around his midsection like the warm embrace of a relative and chin on his paws. Amethyst eyes shut tightly with slight moisture at the corners and a pained grimace, accompanied by shakey breaths. Cynder seeing him like this decided to comfort him.

" Hey... You okay?" she asked as she laid down next to him and wrapped her wing around the saddened drake. "No" he answered with a wavering voice " No l, I'm not."

"You can talk to me, your problems are my problems." She placed a paw on his arm and gently squeezed her wing, providing both comfort and reassurance. "Thanks. You know for The Terror of The Skies, you are really kind and friendly." He confided.

" I try, so spill it. What's got you bothered?" Cynder already knew the answer and it grieved her, even though she knew him for only a short time he was a good man.

"Ignitus. He meant a lot to me and now he's gone. Hell everyone probably thinks we're dead too with how long we've been gone." Cynder only urged him to continue with empathy shining in her emerald spheres. "He was practically my adoptive father and I treated him as such. I just hope I don't lose someone who is close to me soon or I won't be able to cope with the grief. I'd probably kill myself." Spyro looked at her meaningfully with tear filled eyes. With this revelation she let out a shocked gasp and squeezed harder, not wanting to let him go.

"Im glad you're here with me" he nuzzled her cheek, " I would be lost without you." With that he fell apart in her embrace. Cynder started to well up as she comforted her friend, planting a kiss on his forehead as he sobbed into her shoulder.

" Hey now, death is an unfortunate necessity, it affects us all. However we have a choice. We can either grieve, never let go and let it control us, or we could do what they would want us to and let go, still remember them, but not let the sorrow control us." As always... She was right.

After ten minutes of sorrow the duo finally composed themselves, Spyro in particular. "Thank you for listening, a bleeding heart heals faster when there are ones near you to apply pressure to the open wounds." Cynder nodded and said "You will always have me. If no one else is near to aid your fractured soul, I will do everything in my power to rebuild the fragmented glass." He smiled warmly at the thought of her staying with him, even after this magical bond between them breaks, an emotional one will take its place just as strong

"It is still pretty early, we should get some rest before nightfall though. Seeing as how we could get there tonight. And thank you again, I mean it" he said "No problem." was her response and with that they settled for some rest.

"Cynder?"

" What do you need?"

"Promise me you won't leave me."

...

...

" I promise."

" And the same to you."

**Im sorry if this wasn't to your liking, My grandmother recently passed and we are leaving to go across the country to lay her to rest. This is why the chapter went up early . I wonder how many of you caught it but I referenced a song, God went north by nothing more, it relates with my current situation and it helped me write/made me cry rereading this chapter. On a less dark note I'm sorry to say this but I will be posting every two weeks or whenever the chapter is ready. It gives me more time to give some meat to the story and with what is planned right now, it will be a lot. Review please, ANY suggestions welcome and it lets me know if you guys like the story and motivates me to write more, or if you arent comfortable with reviewing PM me.**


	5. A Taste of The Dark

**Quick note for context. When you see**

**_T-L-O-S-S-O-D_**

**That is what I will use as a separation between scenes because I don't know how to get the break line on mobile. Yes I type on my phone. Thank you for reading.**

**Also, a warning if you are squeemish, there is some toned down gore and crude ways to stop bleeding. Just a small taste of what the M chapters may include.**

"Wake up young dragon, open your eyes." He did as he was told and was greeted by the sight of a large hourglass surrounded by books. The Chronicler's Library He looked around for the dragon, still unfamiliar with him even after being beckoned several times.

The blue drake was standing in front of a tome. There was something familiar about the blue one that Spyro couldn't quite place until he got closer. It was _him_. "Ignitus, you're alive!"

"Yes, Spyro I am. I told you when a dragon dies he returns to nature, I however have other duties that need to be taken care of first. This book is the beginning of a new era that is focused entirely on you, an era where you decide what you will be. The title is 'Duality'." He flipped to the cover to reveal a purple and black, leather bound cover. Where normal letters would be was molten stone, glowing with ferocious heat, but it was cold to the touch.

"Why purple and black, not just one or the other?" Ignitus chuckled and said "That is the question. I don't make the covers, I just write the story that belongs in them. You are the author, I am the scribe." He threw a quick glance at the almost empty hourglass. "It is time for you to go now I'm afraid. Once the sand drains from the glass, it marks the end of an age and once turned a new one begins. Before you go, think of your actions, they have consequences beyond our imaginations and could devistate the world as a whole. Many will die or all will prosper. Survive under an iron rule, fearful of what will happen or abstain and allow peace to take place of tension. Now go, discover what was once lost and regain it, you need all the help you can get in these trials." There were many unanswered questions but Spyro felt himself fading from this existence and returning to reality.

He opened his eyes to see darkness outside the cave, only lit by the glow of the moon, it had stopped raining but the dampness remained in the air. Cynder, at some point during the day, made her way over to him and laid her head on his chest and had a paw laid on his stomach. As much as he wanted to let her sleep while he observed her blissfully sleep and listen to her breaths as they entered and left her beautiful snout, they had work to do. He nudged her "Wake up, it's night and we need to get going."

"Mmmmph five more minutes" she groaned, still groggy from sleep " It's not like the world is about to end, we stopped that." With that he chuckled and stroked her flank caringly, not low as to be misconstrued as perverted and going only as high as the base of her neck to which Spyro could feel a pleasurable growl.

"Ok five more." He nuzzled her neck enjoying every sensation involved in the embrace. Her warm smooth obsidian scales, her slow steady breaths, the heart warming innocent smile that adorned her face. He was absolutely intoxicated on the fine wine that was everything about her. Until it was ruined by Spyro's growling stomach.

Cynder giggled "Aww I guess I can't enjoy this anymore." She lifted her head and started to get up. "No no, don't get up. I'll get us something."

"Chain."

"DAMN IT!"

_T-L-O-S-S-O-D_

They only flew for about five minutes from the cave before reaching a clearing with a pond nearby. "Ok, even deer need to drink in the night. Now we play the waiting game." Spyro said crouching to almost prone at the edge of the forest, waiting for his prey to arrive. Cynder was next to him doing the same.

"He taught you well, Ignitus I mean." Cynder stated, trying to start some small talk while not making her true intentions of checking him out obvious. She had to force her eyes to not open to their full extent, seeing his perfectly toned muscles tense under those purple scales. Each twitch made her heart flutter almost in tune. When Spyro glanced at her his eyes spoke volumes and told her _'Keep focused on the task__' _as if he knew what she was doing.

"Yes he did" with a smirk he drug his gaze across the length of her body and added "You aren't too bad yourself, take that how you will." He shifted his focus back to the water and narrowed his eyes, there was movement.

The deer was approaching the water, its hooves were crunching the dewy grass and a doe followed it out. "I'll take her, you take the buck." Cynder wispered as her scales started to distort, darkness flowing over her elegant body as if it were a part of her. Her shaded form slithered theough the grass as if she were only a dark mist. ' Damn she's hot. She's also moving in' Spyro thought as he silently made his way into the air.

The black, opaque draconic figure moved it's head to him and nodded. Cynder jumped out of the shadows with talons bared, she dug them into the animal's spine while biting the fur covered throat, drinking its blood with necessary disgust. Simultaneously Spyro dove into the buck, he intended to break its neck but it snapped its front leg in half like a toothpick. Thrashing wildly the buck waved his antlers threateningly, going in for the kill to end its suffering Spyro roared as he was impailed by three of the bony prongs as he bit in the neck, crimson blood mixing with saliva he roared victoriously. The sight would have been intimidating if it weren't a deer.

"Good job killer, you can't even take down a deer right" she fought through squeaking laughter. " I mean look at you, all bloodied up from a deer after fighting Malefor and armies of apes, grublins and golems without so much as a scratch!" His eyes glowed with murderous intent, blinded by rage. His scales around his claws turned a charcoal black and his eyes glowed a bright white, the discoloration started to spread up his legs before he realized he would be out of control and possibly kill her. 'I would never hurt her.' his warrior instinct cleared the bloodlust from his head and ceased the consuming inky blackness.

"Gaah that stings" he winced as he saw the damage that the still lodged organic spikes caused. Spyro pulled them out with a quick jerk. "And that didn't help!" He hissed. "Good ancestors, who could have thought being impaled wasn't fun." Cynder, who was laughing at her partners folly, stopped at the sight of the liquid life leaking from his ribcage.

"You're bleeding pretty good, looks deep as well. However it doesn't seem to have hit anything important so you'll live." She determined, looking at the wounds. "Anyone asks Malefor did this" Spyro quipped "It'll make for an interesting story."

"Oh? You're not trying to save your ego as the savior after being stabbed by a simple deer?" She jested, gingerly poking at the area around the missing flesh. "OW" He swatted her hand "Don't do that. Remind me when you get injured to prod it as much as possible yeah?" He scowled at the female who licked the crimson juice off of her claws. Secretly savoring the flavor of her companion. 'I'm a sadist, but I don't have any qualms about it.' she thought to herself.

"Whatever, lets just get these cooked" he grunted as he pulled the deer's head off with a quick twist and threw it to the side, repeating the same process for the doe. He then carried the beer to the trees and hung them upside down, letting the blood run out of them and into growing pools that will eventually join. "Go get some wood, please."

Cynder did as she was asked of and trotted off to the woods in search of suitable dead fall. 'Ok wood, where the hell are you?' She roamed the brush for only a few minutes and already had enough to start a bonfire "Good news, luck is on our side!" Cynder proclaimed toting around her haul with a coiled tail.

"Good job. This will be plenty even though we leave after we eat." He said picking out a stick that was about an inch (2.54 cm) in diameter and two feet (60.96 cm) in length. He set this one aside and began to arrange the tinder in a ball, then building a cone over it with spaced out sticks and finally a few larger pieces of lumber.

He lit the arrangement of burnables with a quick puff of flame, setting the material ablaze. "Come help me with these deer Cyn." She complied with a slight blush, made somewhat uncomfortable with the use of THAT name. "Could you not call me that, please?" She begged sheepishly while trying to hide the red glow and also hauling a doe to the fire. "Not on your life." He responded with a smile, Cynder only groaned obviously displeased.

They spread the still burning timber and small coals around to get an even heat so their kill will cook faster. Spyro cursed under his breath "We forgot the branches to suspend them over the flames, could you get them? I have to do something." He grabbed the stick that was set aside earlier, poked at the fire with it and set it in the embers while watching it carefully.

"Sure even though there is no we, only me, and you didn't say branches to prop them up on." Spyro shot an annoyed glare at her, the white glow faintly returning. Not to the point where it was noticeable but it was enough to lighten the purple of his eyes and block the red capillaries on the white of the ocular organ. "Right! Going!"

With her gone, at least for the moment, he could concentrate on clearing his head. Shutting the bright purple shutters he took a deep, composing breath. Maintaining a clear mind as best he could, he reached for the stick that was now glowing red with heat.

Another breath.

He felt his side, searching for the slick and sticky sensation of blood, a claw felt this then plunged into a gap in the tissue.

Another shakey breath.

Spyro leveled the ember-bound stick with the hole.

A hiss of flesh followed hy his own grunt.

_T-L-O-S-S-O-D_

Whack*

Whack*

Whack*

A creak and a splinter echoed as the limb was severed from its wooded body. Cynder had to cut branches with her tail blade as there were no dead libs large or sturdy enough to hold the weight of the carcasses. She then whittled off the bark so there would be no splinters in the meat.

"One down, two to go." They both said but only one knew of the others intentions. More chopping, the dry end of the stick plunged back into embers.

Another fell, another smoldered. Bark was severed, another antagonized breath,flesh sizzled. Cynder inspected the pikes for any last splinters, Spyro wrapped a paw around the initially bloodied end and wiped the deep red fluid off. Skewers were carried, wood burned.

As Cynder neared the camp that her, physical, anchor was at the pleasant scent of cooking meat and baked blood filled her nostrils. 'Guess he couldn't wait.' she thought as her partner was turned away from her, holding something out of her view. Spyro shouted a blood chilling roar, filled with both pain and wrath. With a quick jerk he threw the item in her direction as he biried his claws deep into the soil, his forearm almost half buried.

Cynder looked at the mysterious object that was sent her way, noticing the deer weren't on the crude spit. The stick, she noticed, was charred at both ends, black from the soot. Coated with a viscous red liquid. "Spyro! What did you do?!" She shouted, panicked while running over to him and sewing the flowing blood stopped leaking from the holes.

Spyro withdrew his arm from the soil, much like how the golem in the catacombs would have if it were able. "Triagé, and I don't regret it." He responded coldly, trying his damndest to suppress the darkness within him that wanted to silence the seared nerve endings.

"If you want to suffer then do it, but remember. You have friends to share the pain" She said comfortingly as she tried to force down a gag, summoned forth by the once nice smell of roasted flesh that was reduced to a horrific odor. She then began to tenderly lick the blood from his twitching flank. "You don't move now, I'll find something to bandage the openings, you could reopen those easily. I'll also so the cooking."

She then set off, back into the wooded area to find anything to help her comrade. She stumbled upon a rosemary bush and took a few sprigs. 'Nothing wrong with a little seasoning. Spyro might even enjoy it.' she thought, satisfied with her reasoning she continued her search.

There were no gems near but a bush with large leaves and fiberous strands appeared from behind a large oak she searched by. The leaves were perfectly the size of Spyro's wounded area. She silently thanked the Ancestors for the lucky find and graciously took a handfull of long fibers and two large leaves.

"I'm back, now lets get you sorted. Get up" Spyro complied, finishing his passtime of skinning the deer while Cynder was in search of something to aid him. She dropped the herbs next to the hideless animals and got to work on him. "Hold these down." Cynder ordered as she fitted the leaves to his side, which he obeyed by tightening his wing on his body. Cynder then tied several lengths of the organic cordage around his masculine body, she shivered feeling every curve of muscles around his sides, chest and back.

"There was that so bad? Now you get a treat!" She exclamed like a nurse would after giving a child a flu shot. Spyro wagged his tail and shouted sarcastically "Yay! I can't wait!" with a roll of his eyes he watched as his ally plucked needle like leaves from malleable twigs and poked them into the venison with a claw. Cynder then impaled the two edible, but raw, weights and buried a sharpened end into the earth. Leaning the meat over the flames, turning them periodically.

Saliva dripped from his mouth as he watched melted fat drip of the sizzling venison that was now a well cooked brown color. "Here, it's done." Cynder said as she handed him the slightly charred husk of what was once a beautiful creature. Circle of life, one must sacrifice itself for the good of those higher on the chain.

The crunch was intoxicating, the flesh was soft and the subtle hint of herbs made it all the better. They ate in silence, not wanting to spoil the meal with chatter. Once finished they both let out satisfied sighs

"That felt like the first time I've ever eaten, and I love it." Spyro broke the silence "Certainly wasn't your first show of your warrior skill though." Cynder muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said we should get going, your wounds have probably healed enough to fly without worry." She explained quickly "Thats what I thought. Lets go." Spyro said as he cut off the makeshift bandages, revealing browned flesh in shallow divots 'Thank the gods for fast regeneration' he thought as they took to the skies in search for the star lit dragon.

**Thank you for reading this far and putting up with me for this long. Special thanks to Draco the sword master, for the condlences, the confidence in my story and the first review. Bye!**


	6. Travel

**Real quick I am going to implement a currency system into the story. Should I use the old school gems or a new currency? If a new one, do you have any suggestions for the name of it?**

**Before I forget I want to apologise for the special thanks in the last chapter. I mispelled condolences, I pride myself in my spelling, and something that took me that long to come up with. I am ashamed. More thanks at the end and as always, I hope you enjoy.**

'Why are you like this? What changed?' Cynder asked herself, eying the purple silhouette that streaked through the dark sky in front of her with worry. She could almost swear the lighting, or lack thereof, turned some of his scales black. The airborne dragon kept feeling his side, just behind where the shoulder would attach, and where there were three burned wounds. The blood has long since stopped flowing but one can't be too careful after all.

Once again that feeling of being watched burned the back of his head and with a quick twist of his body, Spyro was facing her. She eyed him with hidden suspicion until he was right in front of her, trying to figure him out.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her with his head cocked slightly to the side. Amythest eyes trying to pierce through her emerald ones and scrutinize her thoughts and find out what is causing her uneasiness. Green never faltering in the battle, fiercely defending against the purple attackers. "About you." she said as a matter of fact "Something's off but I don't know what. Your behavior is the most obvious one."

'DAMN IT SHE'S FIGURED IT OUT! RUN!' his consious told him but he reminded himself of the chain that would choke both of them and drag her along. "Yeah about that, I want to apologise for acting so cold and militant recently. There has just been so much on my mind recently and I get agressive. No clue why, it just happens" He deflected the dagger slashes that the puzzled woman in front of him threw with verbal expertise. However his hesitation was the chink in his armor. "I'm not quite sure I believe you on that, but it bought you some time at the least."

Cynder's eyes flicked past him and her eyes were the size of billiard balls. Focusing on a celestial tail in the distance, then tracing its star lined body to see a wing tip.

"Drakon. I see him." she said with mouth slightly agape with awe at how draconic the incomplete constilation looked, it was as if a dragon's body turned into stars and the gaps were filled with a colored dust. "Yeah I see him too" Spyro said quickly, greatful to change the subject and with the knowledge that they are close to the city. "It looks like we are closer to the tail than the wing tip so we are heading North North East. If my anatomy is correct we need to keep this heading to be angled right at the heart."

"You sound like Volteer, are you sure you didn't spend more time with him than the others?" She giggled at the thought of her purple friend taking extra mind boggling lessons with the guardian whose tongue was swift as a theif. Spyro smiled remembering how much he liked talking to the electric guardian. He liked a good conversation that he could take knowledge from, and Volteer was a reservoir. His scales lightened at the memories which didn't escape Cynder's gaze. "Maybe I did. Who knows and who cares? I mean his wagging tongue provides for interesting talk, plus it got Sparx out of my ear for a while."

Cynder opened her mouth to speak but only a squeak came out as something tackled her in the air, fast, and drug Spyro down screaming from the surprise. In an airborne scrap Cynder flung the attacker off of her and into Spyro who was trying to slow their descent.

The wave like figure buckled his left wing backward, making him roll midair, throwing him off course and into a dense canopy. His spine popped and ribs felt as if they were in a vice as they were violently adjusted from the sheer force at which he impacted with the branches.

There was a loud snap and an agonized shout that a dull thud was silenced by. This did not hinder the dragon of legend however as he shot up to his feet in a low battle stance with tail swinging slowly. Waiting for the aggressor to show itself.

Cynder burst through the tree line with the speed of an arrow and the grace of a gazelle. She noticed her companion, prepared for a fight and soon joined him. All was silent.

Not so much as a snapped twig.

"Fan out, look for anything." Spyro commanded with the tone of an experienced leader, she obeyed. For five minutes they searched and finally Spyro found a pile of rubble that glowed in an ominous red. The color fading slowly. "HEY I GOT SOMETHING!" He shouted to the dark dragoness who ran as fast as possible over to the rubble.

"Wyverns, but how? I thought they were destroyed when we killed the dark master?" Spyro examined the construct which seemed dead, this was accentuated by the fading heat and light the rock released. "I know, I don't like this one bit." he said as he scanned the surrounding area. Cynder looked from the firey stones to look at her partner.

"Well you shouldn't. The world definitely has it out for you." For a moment he assessed himself. The scalded wounds tore open once again, actively seeping blood. His left wing was broken from the impact and bent at an awkward angle, folded backward in half and tilted forward. The unnatural sight sickened him as he tried to move it. A loud snap of adjusting bones made his stomach churn and head spin.

"Ok, bad news first. Its broken."

"Oh no! Are you sure?" Cynder feigned shock at the not so surprising revelation.

"Yes wise ass I'm sure, unless you need to hear the bones shift again. Needless to say that we're walking. More bad news, where are we in relation to Drakon?" Both sets of eyes shot up to the canopy that blotted out the stars, except for the opening a falling body made.

"I have no clue but we better start walking before more show up." Cynder suggested. "Good idea, lets worry about direction later. Get out of the forest first." Spyro started to walk and as he turned, Cynder could swear she saw darkness seeping from the bloody openings.

'Okay then, what makes you tick?' Cynder asked herself, trying to figure out how to help him without raising any red flags that could provoke the evil within him. Spyro's lack of self control and extreme sadness when Ignitus died was an obvious one but what else?

"Hey Spyro? can I ask you a question?" she asked nonchalantly as if it were going to be a normal coversation. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Sure, I've got nothing to hide." He declared without a care in the world, this was only his outside appearance. In his mind a war raged on.

_'She knows, just kill her.'_

'No I won't do it'

_'Then let me take over and I'll do it! Her blood will spill as her head rolls on the ground.' _The thought made him shiver.

'NEVER. YOU WON'T HURT ANYONE.' Cynder noticed a scowl start to form and lips curl to reveal only a thin line of razor sharp teeth.

'Something is very wrong here' She thought to herself 'He needs a distraction but of what kind?'

Spyro winced as the raging fight ran on. This was her opportunity, quickly Cynder ran to his left side and gently pushed his broken wing. The bones grinded together and fell limply to what was almost the right orientation. Spyro hissed and legs buckled sending him into the ground.

"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT FIDDLING WITH MY INJURIES." He shouted only because the reaction to pain although his scales darkened. "Just stay there for a second, I'll find something to splint it."

"Chain" Cynder only laughed at her own foolishness. "I'm the one that's supposed to remind you of it, now I'm the fool I guess. Come on" The purple shone brightly.

'Pain, I guess pain is another trigger. It starts to take over when he is hurt.' Cynder made a mental note as she picked out a few sticks the size and shape of the skeletal structure that broke. "Lets head back to the wyvern there was some tall grass, plus I want to try something."

"Ok." They ran back toward where the constuct was. It was still there without any surprise. "What d'ya know you were right." Cynder stated as she got to work, cutting and binding the grass together. Spyro was behind her with paw raised, covered in a carbon black. Claws extended.

He was losing the internal conflict, thus also losing himself. 'Don't you dare you bastard.' he warned his demonic half.

_'Why not? It would solve the majority of our issues. The scent, sight, feel, sound and taste of blood are merely an added bonus.__' _The black figment of imagination licked its lips in anticipation. Spyro cringed at the thought of her blood, her life essence scattered all around, coating him an a crimson veil that the black figure would lick off. 'She is trying to HELP US'

Spyro managed to gain control for a moment and slammed the paw down, staring at it angrily until the darkness and wisps that flew around it left its body. "There finished. I swear I should be a nurse after all this." Cynder smiled at her handiwork, satisfied. "Now lets get you outfitted."

"Hey careful! Broken bones aren't to be toyed with." Spyro complaned like a little kid while cynder moved his wing into position. "Not my fault you're so careless." She said while moving branches under and over the membrane coated wing.

"If memory serves right I was trying to slow our fall when YOU threw that thing into me!" Spyro was expecting an apology after telling his side of the story. Cynder's wings drooped, head lowered and tail stopped moving."Sorry about that. I didn't know I threw it at you, heat of battle and all that." She winced and rubbed her wing with the blunt side of her tail blade. "If it weren't for me tou wouldn't be hurt right now."

Not expecting this saddened reaction his friendly instincts kicked in. "Dont worry about it, these things happen. Besides what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?" She looked at him with sorrow filled eyes as he comforted her. Spyro grabbed her paw that was frozenn in place while tying the final knot. He took one end of the primal cordage and pulled, she did the same. "Together we will have hard battles and easy days but we do them together. As we promised." These words made Cynder perk up, a broad smile pulled across her snout. Her smile was beautiful.

"Together then." she said happily. "You're done by the way, other than your side." With that Spyro got up excitedly, a little off balance from the weight of the splint but still ecstatic. "That's where my plan comes in. I just hope it still works."

Spyro walked over to the stony corpse and plunged in a paw. He felt around the body and pulled out a gem that gleamed like a ruby. "YES! It still works!" He focused and absorbed the red crystal with ease. A numbing relief washed over his wing and side as the wounds closed and bone started to fuse.

"I had completely forgot about that, its been so long since an actual fight." Cynder said as she observed the scorched flesh begin to close and hide stretched over the freshly filled holes.

"The bone wont be healed completely but it feels better. I still won't be able to fly and the cast is still probably needed. Lets go!" He said as he ran out of the wooded area. 'Still so boyish.' Cynder thought to herself as she began to chase after him.

**_Special thanks to StarRay1000 for liking and following the story. If anyone else did, I am sorry but I accidentally deleted the notification. If you want this corrected PM me and it will be in the next chapter._**

**Ayy there we go. I am BACK BABY! But I am sick and have been a stress ball recently what with 7 quizzes 4 tests and a load of notes and homework to make up. ALL DONE IN 4 DAYS! I really wanted to get this chapter out for Labor Day and let me tell ya, It was a struggle. ****I had no motivation to write this so sorry if it wasn't up to snuff, the next however is going to be a big one! Let me know what you think in the reviews or PMS and I am always open to constructive criticism. Any grammar or anything needs improving LET. ME. KNOW. Finally if there is a certain direction you want this story to take, tell me and I will do my best to make it happen.**

** Thank you for reading!!!**


	7. Return to The City of Fangs

**Wow 3 likes and 4 follows on this story. You guys could literally be doing anything else, but you choose to read a beginning writer's story which reads like it was put through a shredder and for that. I am greatful. Thank you to those who have.**

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**Waking up first thing in the morning whether it be a school day or not and seeing that heartwarming notification saying that somebody likes my story puts me in a good mood for the day and I can usually get a lot written. Also a special thank you to granty619 for being the above example. I slept for 9 hours in a Nyquil induced stupor, stressing because the story didn't update right away but when I woke up, a little blinking blue light on my phone just made me smile. As of writing this small portion it is the day after the last chapter was posted. Enough rambling. I HOPE YOU ENJOY AND THANKS FOR READING!**

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**One more thing. As of adding this note to the one above it is 2 days before the release of this chapter. While I was writing my phone reset (nothing was lost thankfully) and I**** came back to a notification. Thank you CanadianSpyro for following. It just dawned on me. I have been writing this chapter for a while so my story has only gone down on the recently updated list. You guys just scroll through and decide to read my story, a story that is**** far down on that list, insignificant, no one makes you read it****, yet you choose to****. I started this story as a little project that I didn't think much of and now it has a following, even if small it all counts. There are no words to describe how proud and happy I am that people find a, now not so, small piece of work enjoyable, all I can muster is thank you. All of you. If you fav or follow doesn't matter (yes it does) just the fact that you read this is appalling to me. 3 FAVS AND 5 FOLLOWS!**** WE'RE GAINING NUMBERS! **

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Spyro ran along laughing at his friend who was struggling to catch up. Cynder's natural grace and agility may help her in aerobatics but on the ground, Spyro has her beat. His sheer speed is enough to bend branchs by the wind coming off his scales. Each obstacle were nothing compared to the unstoppable force.

Whenever a bush or rock got in his way, he jumped. If it was a tree he either dodged it with the narrowest gap between purple and bark, or he coiled into a spiked earthen boulder that knocked down the wooden giants with ease or cloaked himself in a crimson blaze and charged through the thick brush. At least this would be the case under normal circumstances.

With his wing fixed in an extended position he couldn't get close to anything without hitting it. He was also unbalanced and a full sprint would be too rough for the new bone to bear. He still ran, just not to his limit, it was actually more like a faster gallop.

Even with the hinderance they ran toward the drake in the sky with excitement. So close to home and they knew it, yet it was so far. The adrenaline from the activity pumped through their veins further fueling the advance.

Without a clue as to how far they ran or long for Spyro stopped. He leant against a tree with his good wing and slowed his panting down to heavy breaths. "Man. I haven't ran like that in a long time."

Cynder who had an easier time mocked him. "I guess all that supposed speed I keep hearing about doesn't have the stamina to match." She was already taking slow, steady breaths.

"I just need" he drew a fatigued lungful " a few minutes. Then I'll be good to go."

A smile grew across his maw as he reminisced. When he lived in the swamp with Sparx and his adoptive parents. 'He always called me fat.' Emeralds sparkled seeing Spyro's joy, not wanting to ruin it she layed down and observed the shining purple under the inconsistant moonligt that gaps between leaves allowed.

'Happiness is a cure, good to know.' The purple head turned to her and asked "Are you ready?" She retorted "Are you? I personally think that you could use a little more down time." Spyro slid down the tree awkwardly until he was laying down, still propped up on the trunk.

"Good because I am tired." Spyro moved away from the wooden support and laid his head on his paws, chest still heaving. Cynder looked at the purple dragon, a smile came over her lips but faded as soon as it came once she focused on the timber bound wing.

"How's the wing?" She inquired. "Stiff and sore but what are ya going to do, right? I guess it could be worse. Still broke, not tied up, extremely painful."

"Nothing at all of it weren't for me." Cynder interjected. Guilt made her recoil and look small, wings tightly wrapped and tail curled around her body with head down an eyes closed. "Don't do that, you know it was an accident, don't let guilt consume you. Besides it's better me than you, your delicate frame would have broken worse than this."

Cynder opened her eyes and stared incredulously at him. "What? We're dragons! Our bones are incredibly strong, our scales are one of the best armors out there and our hides are a great gambeson! We are basically walking war machines!"

_'Break something of hers. Better yet lay open her veins and while she bleeds tell her of that oh so badly flawed logic.'_ The inner demon returned after a short rally with itself. At the worst possible time.

Spyro merely shook his head, more to the evil within than in response to her reasoning. "That is true but I have more muscle to absorb blows and my bones are thicker than yours. That fall only snapped my wing, who knows what it would have done to you!" Spyro countered.

"Aww so sweet, caring about me, I can take care of myself!" She rose with head held high and venom in her words.

"It's good to see you still have your independence. The day you left the temple seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it?" The memory brought Spyro a sad smile.

The memory was enough to dilute her toxic tongue. "Yeah it does. Just for the record, I'm glad you came after me. It was foolish to leave." Cynder chuckled. "You know, after all this time, I can't even remember why I left."

"Me neither, something about wanting to find yourself or your home? I don't remember, but does it matter? Your home is where you make it and who you make it with." Cynder's gaze met with Spyro's. The speech warmed her heart and her eyes glistened with fluid diamonds. The two shared this moment in silence, losing themselves in the eyes of each other.

"Lets go before I don't want to go back." Cynder broke the wonderful silence first, still lost in the magnetism of the amethyst irises aimed at her. Spyro got up but was knocked back down by a falling branch, he quickly pulled himself out from under it and stared at the limb.

Branches don't fall on their own.

A body of a familiar construct came soon after, crushing the branch into splinters. The living stone was taller but thinner than those that carried large axes, but instead of a single large weapon it carried two smaller hatchets. Wicked obsidian edges that extended downward gleamed under the starlit sky. The hafts were made of stone and veins of glowing magma flowed over its surface.

With a blood freezing shriek it charged. The purple dragon was its target, with a forward jump it reached Spyro in almost no time. With only the time of a rabbits heartbeat to react he instinctively raised his good wing in defense. The hatchets merely left shallow cuts in the natural armor.

Seeing his opening the dragon of legend flung himself at the attacker, claws tearing into the stoney shoulder and chest while teeth mercilessly clamped themselves onto the neck. Stone shattered under the force the jaws applied and rocks chipped of under the claws like marble under assault by a sculptor's chisel.

The earthen solider punched Spyro in the gut with the top of an axe, knocking the air from his lungs. The hostile creature took advantage and threw the purple attacker off. Spyro collapsed on his side, in a coughing fit, seeing his opponent out of breath he spun twice. Four perfectly horizontal slashes tore scale and flesh from his body. The demonic body of reformed rock then reared both axes behind its head and slammed them downward. Blinded by tears Spyro raised both wings in front of him in a final attempt to block the incoming blades. The finely honed edges met with the thick membranes and easily punched through the defences.

Blood spattered on the purple snout as he fought a losing battle against the overwhelming force. Wings are the toughest part of a dragon, the most resistant to pain. Each movement the lodged blades made was excrutiating.

The crooked edges cut into the end of his snout. Fueled by pain he let out a furious roar and pushed back with every fiber of his being. The dual blades were forced back and upon exiting the wounds the extensions caught and tore extra flesh from his wings. _Darkness consumes even the strongest wills._

Enraged by the pain Spyro dashed at the evil formation with violet flames engulfing him. Horns penetrated the assassin and the heat melted the rock clad body. Spyro withdrew his horns and tried to land a few skillful slashes. The igneous instigator dodged the last strike of the volley and deflected claws over gleaming crimson edges.The berserk warrior got under the dragon's guard and embedded the full extent of an axe's head into his chest and brutally yanked it, dripping with the red essence of life as more flesh gave.

Spyro charged the warrior once more and slammed it into another hulking trunk. Pinned to the tree, the axe wielder, was stunned giving plenty of time for Spyro to charge an earth missile. While he tore his horns out of the solid chest cavity once more, he released a shadowy stalagmite that yet again pinned the lethal warrior to the tree.

With the assassin weakened Spyro pulled it off the spike and savagely tore at its neck with claws. After 9 brutal slashes Spyro spun and with a quick flick of his tail, decapitated the nemesis. Both fighters battled valiantly, but was it really good that prevailed?

Dark blood seeped from his wounds and dripped onto the grass, coating it like a slick red dew. Out of breath from the melee Spyro laid down with his own blood beginning to pool around him. 'That enough bloodshed for you?' He mentally asked in disgust.

_'The only blood that was shed was that of a weakling. Your blood. There will never be enough blood to satisfy my thirst but the ecstacy of a fight has calmed my urges somewhat.'_ This was progress, the less blood that was needed the better. He began to eye himself over.

Two shallow cuts on his right wing, another two large bloody holes in both. The comet dash burned the brace to ash and the bone broke again. Two small, seeping openings in his snout. Four wicked slices on his left flank. A single large and deep gash in his chest, through the blood it looked like the axe glanced off bone and separated flesh from the ribs.

"This isn't good. Whatever is happening, they are tracking us. How else would a wyvern and this thing have found us? We need to move as fast as possible. No breaks, lets go." Spyro got up and turned toward his companion who was staring at him dumbfounded.

'How in Hell are you able to take a beating like that, let darkness envelop you, take back control and say you're good to go?' Cynder inquired in her own thoughts.

"How are you going to be able to fly like this?" Cynder asked the bleeding purple dragon.

"This this was an elite or a general or something. It couldn't have been a normal member of the dark army." He made his way over to the headless heap of rock. Looking at the chest he inserted both paws into the holes his horns made and yanked. The cavity broke open to reveal a trove of crystals with particular healing properties and absorbed them all.

Wounds sealed and blood stopped flowing, the four nasty slashes in his side, the large gash in his chest and the holes in the membranes of his wings healed in an instant. The bone in his wing fused once again but was stronger than the last attempt.Scars still remained on the more ghastly wounds however.

"I knew this wasn't some ordinary push over we usually fight. Only the higher ups have this many gems in them. This is very bad." Realizing the gravity of the situation he turned to the black female. "From now on we will fight tougher enemies. I barely handled that one by myself, so if they want to tangle they'll have two to dodge. Got it?"

Cynder nodded "I got it. Sorry I didn't help you with it. I was scared thinking I would get you hurt again, and I thought you had it." Spyro nodded in acknowledgement, if the roles were reversed he would have done the same. They fought so many enemies without even a strain but this was different. This calls for more stringent safety measures.

"Good then we need to leave. Now. The sun is coming up so we'll lose Drakon if we wait any longer." Cynder looked to the west where an orange glow peeked over the distant mountains. "What are we waiting for then?" She took to the air and was soon followed by Spyro.

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"Well he's gone." Cynder muttered thinking of her friend in need. "Sorry what was that? I couldn't hear you." Spyro called out from beside her. She couldn't let him know what she was thinking, not yet at least.

"I said Drakon is gone. We can't see him anymore. Before you say anything I know if we keep this course we will still get there." He smiled, she knew him all too well.

"Alright then miss intellect, can you tell me how far we are?" She glared at him with nothing but resentment for the snide remark. "I have no clue but something tells me that _someone_ can tell me." She referred to him as if there were multiple people.

"Yes actually I can. It's right there." Cynder averted her annoyed gaze from the dragon flying by her side and to the walls of the great city of Warfang. The walls are already under reconstruction. Scaffolding covered a large portion of the light tan stone barriers. 'Have we really been gone that long?' Spyro asked himself.

As they approached teir destination, a question rang in Cynder's mind. "How do you want to go in?" The question caught her other half of the duo off guard. "Why is that a question? Can't we just go in the front gates?"

"We can but the people will have returned to the city. It'll be kind of strange to have heroes just waltz in there after this long you know?" He took her words under consideration, it was almost ten days or so since the mending. It would be out of the ordinary to just show up from out of the blue.

"Ok then, lets get a lot of altitude, survey the city to find the town hall and we swoop down. Quick and easy" Cynder agreed with a nod and began to quickly flap her wings. Going higher and higher into the clouds suspended above the city.

To those below it just looked like two dragons flying above the city, nothing out of the ordinary. The silhouettes covering their colors from sight. The figures started to circle near the highest point in the city , above the tallest building. The City Hall. Any citizen who watched them were bound to have their suspicions raised, after all, what is more suspect than two unknown dragons diving toward the heart of the civilian stronghold?

"They are bound to have guards out front, let's say hello. Shall we?" Spyro asked before they dove into the city below. His vision blurred as he picked up speed, rapidly approaching the solid stone floor below. When they were roughly one hundred feet (thirty and a half meters) away from the ground they pulled back, and with flared wings, they gently glided down.

"Halt!" one of the guards shouted at the draconic figures that flew above, still descending. "I SAID HA-" He cut off his repeated order when he saw purple scales.

When Spyro landed he observed the guards that stood at the doors of the grand hall. The one who barked his order was a fire dragon with horns that grew downward and followed his jaw line like tusks, well built, obviously in his adult years, clad in shining steel armor. The other was an earth dragon with horns like that of a ram, a bit younger than the fire guard standing by him, more reserved than his hot headed companion and radiated an aura of control. He too was cloaked in steel plating.

"Good afternoon. Are the guardians in? It's an urgent matter and we really need to talk to them." The fiery guard was still in awe at what was standing in front of him. After all this time and he is still alive The guard then analyzed Spyro's words and muttered "We?" Just then a Black dragoness fell from the sky and landed next to the hero of legend.

"Hello." Was the only thing she said to the guard. A barely noticeable snarl appeared on the tusked dragon. The dark green one struck the other at the base of his helm covered skull with his tail that was a short, spike covered cylinder. "I will guide you to the guardians." The earth dragon said.

He creaked open the large doors and gave the duo some information. "Terrador and Volteer are in the meeting room and Cyril is out helping rebuild the wall. It wasn't easy trying to get him to do manual labor what with his pride and all." The guard then went on to describe the building.

"The City Hall doubles as the guardians home and also as a temple. The sleeping quarters are down the hall over there and up the stairs on the left at the end. The courtyard is a garden with a fountain in the center, great place to clear your head. I'll let you figure the rest out, here is the meeting hall. Good luck." With that the guard took his leave, presumably to rejoin his comrade at the front doors again.

"Well then, only one way to go from here, you ready?" Spyro asked her. "I'm ready."

* * *

"Good progress then. We still need to-" Terrador cut off his conversation with Volteer, a team of engineers and architects oce the massive doors opened.

"Meeting adjourned for today. Everyone out, not you Volteer, you stay." He commanded with the baritone voice that all feared leaders should possess. All but the lightning dragon, earthen guardian and our two heroes left.

"As I live and breathe. You're alive, both of you." He was astounded at this revelation.

"Yes they are Terrador. This is marvelous, stupendous a-a-a-a miracle!" The electric guardian couldn't control his tongue any longer. It is as if he would never remain speechless.

"Where have you been? How was the fight? How powerful was-" Terrador held up a paw that somehow silenced the chatter immediately. 'There are a lot of cut offs today' Spyro noted. "One question at a time my friend. Now tell us, where the hell have you been?"

"Would you believe Hell itself?" Cynder asked both guardians whose eyes opened to their full extent. Spyro and Cynder began to tell their story, from the end of the fight up until they found Warfang. Leaving out a few details that could be, no, they were troubling as well as those of their relationship.

"Any questions?" Cynder asked the guardians, you could see the gears in their minds turning, struggling to grasp what happened.

"Several." Terrador stated. "You said that Malefor is dead, dragged into the center of the world by spirits of the ancestors."

"Correct. I know that's hard to believe but it is the truth." Spyro answered.

"Good, one less problem. Now what about the wyvern and the axe wielder?" The questins rolled in.

"The wyvern could have just been dumb luck on its part but not the thing with axes. It was like it was waiting for us or following. It knew we were there but waited until we were about to leave before striking. It was either tracking us or observing us, my bet is on both." He speculated, still unsure whether he was right or not.

"That is grave news indeed. We'll need patrols, ten minute flight distance. Last query, Why do you look like you've grown so much?" Spyro was confused as he eyed himself over quickly. There was no denying it. He was definitely more broad, muscular and taller. His eyes flicked to Cynder, for the first time in a long time he matched her body to that of his memory. She was longer as well as her wing and tail blades, still slim, taller, perfectly toned muscles and longer ivory horns. Beautiful and intimidating by all means.

"I may be able to answer that." Volteer interjected. "I have been observing how altitudes and depths affect weight. Based off of the notes I've concocted I estimate the force at the center of the world roughly nine point two percent more than on the surface. Therefore you were fighting under increased weight, this worked your muscles to further development. In conjunction with whatever you did, Spyro, it obviously had a high magical potential. I believe your bodies absorbed a large amount of it, this could be the reason for your exponential growth" Volteer rattled on.

"To be blunt, that made only a small measure of sense, but seeing as how it's the only explanation I'll take it." Spyro agreed, as did Cynder. All but Volteer were trying to articuate the elaboration, sifting through the mass information that was thrown at them.

"You both do know there was a, how should I put this? A ceremony in memoriam to fallen heroes." This surprised Spyro more than it should have.

"Already a service? We were only gone for two weeks! Did you even launch a search?"

"Two weeks? You've been gone for two months!" Volteer exclamed with his usual vigor. Blindsided by the time they were supposedly gone, or at least the purple half of the two, Spyro's maw was agape. Stunned and struggling to grasp how they were missing that long.

"Two months." He said dumbfounded. Spyro turned to Cynder. "How long was I out?" He more demanded more than asked, making her feel slightly smaller.

"I don't know. Six weeks maybe?"

"SIX WEEKS! DAMN IT!" he roared furiously and punched the ground, cracking stones opened small cuts that bled lightly. "Six weeks." He wispered to himself, it still doesn't feel real. One moment he pieces the world back together and the next he wakes up, six weeks was an impossibly long time and anything could have happened.

"I can see this is troubling you. We can put this off until you can get your head wrapped around it, and if we can get Cyril here." Terrador said in a voice that only those who were close to him could describe as comforting, to others he would sound just as militant and stout as always.

"In the mean time you can familiarize yourself with the city properly, meet some people and let them know you're not dead." This was a good idea and they all knew it. Letting everyone know that you're still among the living publicly instead of walking down the street and causing a heart attack.

"Thank you for your understanding, first things first though. You wouldn't happen to know anyone who has practice with dark magic would you? The chain is still on us." The electric guardian perked up as he wound up the vocal motor that was his tongue.

"Yes actually I do. Do you remember Mason the mole from when you dispatched the golem? Before the war forced him into being a solider he was a researcher. He managed to locate a fairly large sample of a dark crystal from the wreckage of a seige tower. He and I have studied its every property, every secret and have found its weakness. Acid." Cynder widened her eyes and Spyro just looked at her, unamused.

"Acid huh? We could have been rid of this thing from the catacombs." He said still keeping his eyes on the dark female next to him. She slowly adopted an offended scowl and flicked her head to him. Spyro was unnerved by the devious look she bore.

"What? I don't have acid, I have poison." She reminded the purple dragon beside her. "Oh. Yeah, right. My mistake."

"We will see Mason tonight, he is overseeing the rebuilding process. He also has all the safety precautions that will be needed to remove the mystical shackles."

"Thank you both for your time but we need to get back to work. Rebuilding a city is not nearly as easy as one would expect." The duo nodded and thanked the guardians in kind. As they proceeded toward the door Terrador called out.

"One last thing before you go. You have grown to almost the size of adults, you have sacrificed so much to save this world and have the mindset of adults. You will be treated as adults and expected to act as such. Make responsible decisions and say whatever you want. Swearing won't make you sound smart but it will assist in getting your point across. Got it?"

"Yes sir." they responded in unison but still heard a grumble as the earthen protector cleared his throat.

"I mean hell yes! Sir." Spyro quickly changed his reply. Cynder on the other hand witheld any response.

"Good, we will see you later tonight then. Dismissed" The two chained dragons made their way out of the room and back into the building's corridors.

"Holy shit, I still can't believe I was out for six weeks. It was like I was only asleep for two minutes before coming to." Cynder just looked at her contemplating colleague, a storm brewed in his head and it was a bad one.

"I see you've already taken Terrador's advice to heart. Well it's true. After I got us out I moved a lot, stopping occasionally to eat, drink and doing the same for you. The whole time carrying a big limp purple dragon. It was not easy." He added what she said to the cacophony of his thoughts, stopping on a detail.

"Wait you made me eat and drink while unconsious? How?" A claw immediately shot up to her lips and a barely visible red flushed over her face, she swallowed hard as if her throat were taut.

"That's not important. What is, however is that we're still alive. Also I think you noticed it but in order to escape I had to lose our armors."

"So you force fed me though means you won't say and you undressed me. Something is adding up here." Cynder shoved him playfully and responded "Not even. Keep dreaming mister."

"And keep dreaming I shall. In fact I am actually tired and I bet you are too. Don't worry about the amors though, I have an idea of how to remedy that." Cyril then walked around the corner. The light blue underbelly and paws were spattered with semi-dried concrete and he was completely covered in dust.

The ice guardian, true to his element, froze in place once he saw who was before him. The two stopped and greeted the icey, living statue.

"How? How are you here?" He ignored their greeting and instead stared at the appalling sight before him.

"I'm sorry to do this to you Cyril but you can ask the others that. We've been up since early last night and in between flying and fighting we haven't had proper rest in a while. Could you guide us to anywhere we can sleep?"

The frost guardian nodded. "Follow me but you two will answer any questions I have later." They agreed to his terms and followed the magnanimous dragon. He led them to where the guard did earlier.

"Just up there, take a left, the last two doors on the right are yours. Remember, any questions I have will be answered." Both dragons nodded and yet again thanked the chilled mentor.

Spyro and Cynder followed Cyril's instructions and found the rooms.

"Which do you want?" Spyro asked her. "I'll take the one on the end." She volunteered and sprinted to the door, shoving it open and going in.

"She must really be exhausted." He chuckled and shook his head, following her example and entering his own room.

The rooms were fairly simple, a good size as they were meant to accomodate fully grown dragons. The wall that connects the rooms has a bed and a night stand. On the opposite wall hung a mirror and a table under it to hold any cosmetic items one migt have and apply here. Opposite the door was another barrier but made of glass. It slides away to a balcony where one can can overlook the city and the surrounding landscapes.

Spyro walked over to the bed and laid down on it, preparing himself for a rough sleep. Assuming that sleep would even come. Finally comfortable on the foreign furniture, he closed his eyes.

"Owwww. What the hell?!" A sharp tug pulled his neck toward the wall and temporarily constricted his airway. If it weren't for his horns his skull would have had a rather painful collision with the stone barrier. Not long after there was a knock on his door.

"Come in." He called out to whoever it was on the other side. As expected a rather embarrassed Cynder came through.

"Sorry, I was checking out the room and didn't even think about the damn chain." She rubbed her neck while saying the awkward apology. He knew her past a bit too well.

"Don't be. You probably never experienced all this before, go nuts." She perked up and her tail started doing small happy wags again. The sight made warmth spread throughout his core as if his heart were radiating heat.

"Thanks but apologising isn't the only reason I came in here." He raised a brow. What was the other reason then?

"I don't think you should be alone tonight. Your mind is probably still in shock after these recent events. Isolation may help one think but if left for too long, that concentration turns to madness." He knew that she understood this very well.

"Okay then, come here." She obeyed, clambered up on the mattress and laid next to him.

"You do know you don't have to lie. I know you just want to sleep next to me. Though I do believe what you said about being alone." He rolled over to face her.

"I know but that was just to be safe." She nestled into his golden chest and listened to his heartbeat. 'I wonder if it's gilded too.' She pondered as she began to drift off, the rhythmic thumping lulling her into nothingness.

"Rest well." He wispered to her and gingerly kissed the side of her snout. He soon followed in the persuit of sleep. Senses numbed as his mind began to forget everything he learned today. 'This is all that can matter right now.' He told himself as he gently wrapped the sleeping, nightmarish, girl of his dreams into a winged embrace and fell into the void.

* * *

Cynder woke up first, greeted by firm golden plates on a purple scaled body. To be honest she was scared of him. Scared that he might slip back into darkness while they slept. He would kill her and probably most of the city.

Luckily nothing like that happened, instead she was bound in his gentle but firm grasp. She sighed in relief hearing the soothing rhythm of his beating heart and steady, slow breaths. 'This is fine.' she thought happily with a smile.

A knock at the door reminded her of the plans they made with the guardians earlier. She gently shook him.

"Wake up. We have to go." He only grumbled and held her tighter. Whoever is out there started to knock louder. In a slight panic she thought she shouldn't be sleeping in the same room as him. She has her own room.

Morphing into shadow she slipped out of his grasp and went to the balcony. She jumped to hers just in time to get a knock at her own door. She opened it to an unhappy Terrador.

"Good evening Terrador, is something wrong?" The irritated guardian sighed, trying to keep his composure.

"Yes Spyro does not seem to want to wake up. you spent the most time with him so I wanted to know if this was typical of him." She couldn't recall any of these occurrences other than the month and a half after the world was healed.

"No. He hasn't slept since the sun went down last night so he is probably just trying to catch up on sleep. Tou of all people should know how taxing fighting and traveling without rest is." With another sigh the guardian calmed himself.

"Yes, you are right. We must still wake him though, do you want to do the honors?" For the first time in her time knowing him, he had a wicked idea and a devious grin to accompany it. She accepted the proposition.

Entering his room the two approached the bedside.

"Ok how do you want to do this? I can either put one of my blades over his neck and slap him, or I can just use fear. Your call." Terrador pondered this for a moment before reaching his verdict.

"If you use your blade he will either slit his own throat on you or fight back and hurt you. Either way someone is getting hurt or possibly killed. Best to use fear."

"Good choice." She inhaled deeply as she prepared her siren scream. Magical energy flowed through her veins, she focused on it and felt it start to pool within her. With a shrill shout she imbued him with fear.

With a blood chilling scream his eyes shot open, which were now dilated with terror, and srambled to the other side of the room. Backing into the corner, his frightened pupils scanned the room while he was hyperventilating. She didn't put much into the jolting attack so he could snap out of it pretty quick.

"Shit." He muttered while beginning to slow his panicked breathing, clutching at his chest. After seeing their friend was alright the two burst out in laughter. He narrowed his gaze on the two.

"You really had to do that? Damn it, you could have given me a heart attack!"

Terrador's legs actually buckled and he rolled on his side in laughter.

"I have not laughed like this in what seems like a century! It was well worth whatever hell you plan to raise!" He mustered in between jovial sobs.

"I'll give you a few moments to recollect yourself. Come to the meeting hall when you have." Terrador wiped tears from his eyes and strode out, still half choked by chuckles. Now he and Cynder had the room.

"You're a bitch and you know it." He spoke as he released his no longer heaving chest. She was still laughing, while Spyro was focused on the big green dragon Cynder fell to the ground and rolled around in tears.

"Oh come on. Think of this as revenge from your act, when you woke up." She was slowly regaining control of her body, her stomach hurt from all the spasming giggles.

"Oh screw you, that was funny!" He complained.

"No. Not yet but maybe later. Now lets go." With a sly smile she got up and turned toward the door. As she walked she swung her tail and swayed her hips alluringly, exiting around the corner.

He started to follow but noticed her hint and strut.

"Cheeky bitch." He said under his breath with a smirk and met back up with her.

* * *

"So good of you to join us! You truly must have been tired if you refused to awake for that long!" Cyril greeted them with sarcasm.

"Come now Cyril, don't let your pompous disposition cloud your judgement. If it were us I'm certain we would remain snoring." Volteer defended the new arrivals and greeted them with his usual energy.

"Now that we're all here, we can begin with our plans. We have filled Cyril in on what you've told us so we are done on that front. Next is that chain. Volteer."

"Yes, I had Mason relieve himself of his duties in advance so he may assist us in this endeavor. He is in the chemistry room. Shall we?" Everyone followed the Electric dragon toward another wing of the temple.

This hall was decorated with several different glass tubes and containers with strange chemicals contained inside. Fires heated some to a boil while others dripped into different beakers or flasks from tubes. In the chaos of it all was a mole in a white linen coat.

"Hello Mason. You've already met everyone in this room so speak freely. Although you know Spyro you may not have met Cynder."

"A pleasure. You remember the building that you put out that fire in? My brother was in there. You've done right by me and my family, thank you." He looked up from whatever vial he was observing and straight at Cynder. "Both of you."

This behavior was strange. He thanked both of them but looked dead at the black dragoness at the last part, as if they thought the gratitude didn't extend to her.

"Right then. Let's get to work." He said as he grabbed an off white jar and a glass vial that was filled with a greenish yellow fluid.

"Whoa hold on, you can't just decide to pour acid over our necks and expect us to just want to dive right in! Explain what is going to happen at least!" Spyro exclaimed as the mole approached him with the dangerous concoction.

"Right then. This jar contains a white powder that will set between the charm and your scales. This is a fairly strong acid that was able to dissolve dark gems. The powder will react with the acid once they meet. It will be hot but the acid shouldn't get to you. Any wetness you feel will be water from the reaction between the acid and the powder, completely harmless except a slight irritation that the powder causes."

"I don't like this any less but I'll trust you." Spyro reluctantly lowered his neck, allowing the mole to spread the strange powder around. Mason then uncorked the glass flask and dripped the caustic solution on the jade necklace.

An acrid scent arose as the chemical began to eat through the cursed jewelry. Just watching this made Cynder uncomfortable, she grabbed at her own snake charm and could have sworn it gave a little. The acerbic liquid made whatever the snake was made of release a high pitched squeal and blood gurgle through.

Blood?

Seeing the crimson seeping through, Mason acted quickly. Grabbing the jar he dug his hand in and threw a good amount of the powder at the wound to negate the acid.

"What's going on?" Spyro demanded with worry in his wavering voice. All were surprised about his composure, he didn't even react if he felt it.

"Just a bit of acid dripped over, nothing to worry about." Terrador attemped to wave off his concern with the negligible statement. Mason prodded at the site of the wound, the flesh moved and reacted to his touch. Still no reacton on the face of the victim. Mason grabbed onto the necklace at either side of the wound and tugged.

The snake uncoiled its scaly body from Spyro and came off, writhing in agony. He dropped the snake in surprise and grabbed a small knife from a nearby table. Mason pinned the snake's neck to the floor with a foot and severed the serpent's head with one quick motion.

Cynder too felt the snake slither within her grasp and pulled the parasite from around her throat. just as Cyril was about to impale the reptile with an ice spike Volteer grabbed a glass jar from a table of them and covered the coiled body in it.

"Get me a cloth, I would very much like to obsere this creature and learn its habits." The ice guardian swallowed the icicle along with his pride at being stopped before a kill, tossing the zealous yellow dragon a rag. Volteer covered the opening with it, snatched a nearby metal ribbon and used it to tightly fasten the material to the jar.

"Those things were ALIVE?!" Cynder shouted at the obscure revelation while rubbing where the reptile gripped her neck. It could have reanimated at any point bitten them, granted being a poison wielder she probably had some kind of resistance to a fatal bite but Spyro. The thought made her sick. An image of a corpse passed through her mind.

"It would appear so. I wonder how they fed or if they even had to in that state? So many queries, and so few answers." Volteer rambled to no one in particular as he eyed the snake that returned to it's stony form.

"Not to be rude but he will keep on like this for a while. It would be best if you left him for a bit." Mason told the remaining guardians who were familiar with his habits.

"Yes it would. Come along, let's get something to eat. I can't imagine you've had a civilized meal in quite some time." Cyril hastily took the out, he so desperately wanted to get back to the real world where politics dominated. Science was not his strong suit as most of it was beyond his grasp but the beliefs of the people, he was very aquainted with.

As he ushered them out Spyro wiped the blood soaked powder from his neck. He looked at his paw and was met by a horrific sight of bright red.

"Umm. Guys?" Cynder turned her head to him and the look in his eyes said it all. Scared. He looked lost and alone, bleeding. If she didn't know him better she would pity him, but he is tough.

"It's the snake's, don't worry." With a great sigh of relief he began to follow. While the guardians took the lead, Spyro caught up with Cynder to talk. Trying to think of a topic wasn't too difficult in their evermore interesting llives.

"Hard to believe those things were on us for that long and still alive." He started.

"Yeah it's crazy, like they were dormant. Just think, they could have woke up and bit one of us." She was not alone in her frightened thoughts as he visably shook when a chill ran down his spine.

"Let's just be glad they didn't. I would hate to think about one of us having to take down Malefor alone." He took a quick look at the two in front and whispered "New topic, How long was Terrador there for when we woke up?" An overwhelming sense of dread overtook him and his voice went hoarse, for some reason he was ashamed of their actions and feared they were found out.

"He didn't see anything, I tried to wake you when he knocked but you were too stubborn. I panicked when he repeated the knocking, louder that time and went to my room from your balcony in time. He then came to my room where we planned a rude awakening for you." Remembering the evil agenda for waking him brought Cynder satisfaction, it went better than they had hoped.

"That's something my brother would do. Speaking of where is the little guy?" Spyro asked himself. Sparx hasn't made an appearance yet and it concerned him. Normally he wants to be the center of attention, so why wasn't he with the decision makers?

"I'm sure he'll show soon enough. He always has and always in the most inopportune times." Cynder reassued him that the more annoying brother is still out there.

"Ahh here we are. I've taken the pleasure to have a meal prepared, I hope you like sheep." The words ceased any conversation that was taking place. In another wing of the massive building was a decently sized dining area that cold hold up to ten without discomfort. Attached to the room was a kitchen, stocked with meats, fruit and other essentials

"It isn't as grand as a restaurant or as spacious as the mess hall, but it is fairly private and comfortable. A good median I like to think." Cyril elaborated as he grabbed a portion of meat and placed it on the preset plate before him.

"Since when were you an optimist Cyril? I thought you were shrewd and only knew of your pride, lineage and high rank above the commoners." Terrador jested at his equal. Technically Ignitus put him incharge when he left.

"I forgot to ask." He interrupted words of strife that were forming in the ice protector's throat. "I apologise if this sets a foul mood for dinner but what happened to Ignitus." The name alone made Spyro freeze as he was about to take a bite of a leg. He lowered the tasty morsel, losing his appetite.

"He didn't make it, he burned to ensure that we didn't." His voice was detached and empty, almost as if he had no soul. It was his way of coping around people who demanded professionalism. Terrador nodded and Cyril stopped eating to lower his head in respect for the dead comrade.

"I was afraid of this. He told me that the people needed a leader, like he knew it was his last deed and was passing the torch. He did as he was told however and led with determination that most sadly lack.

His apology prior to the question wasn't unfounded. They all ate with a somber cloud hanging over their heads. Silence was like a disease and they were trapped in a quarantine induced purgatory.

"He isn't dead. He is the new Chronicler." Spyro finally revealed. The dread was choking and so he decided to cut through it with the comforting idea.

"That's a relief. Even if he is still alive one can only imagine what it took to get there." Cyril shook his head, nobody wanted to begin to think of what burning alive entails. He licked his lips, finished with the large portion of roasted lamb he took.

"It will be an interesting day tomorrow, I'm going to sleep and I suggest you all do the same in the very near future." Cyril left the room. Terrador followed soon after.

"Tomorrow comes early, don't stay up too late. The thing with the snakes will drive you mad if you try to comprehend it so leave it to Volteer. Good night." This left the two alone. They continued to eat in awkward silence. Cynder sighed.

"We really need to work on our social skills, we aren't even talking to each other. Us, after all we've been through!" Spyro nodded in agreement and swallowed whatever meat was in his maw. It went down hard, his esophagus tightened with the stress of trying to poorly take part in conversation with her again.

"Agreed. It shouldn't be this difficult for us to talk, it's not like we haven't before but it feels so different now that we're in the city again." He shot a quick glace at the barren doorway. "People could overhear something they shouldn't have knowledge of." Spyro wispered with a wink. She understood without any delay for thought.

"Ok then, any plans for tomorrow? Other than exploring the city while it's not in ruins?"

"Look for sparx, talk with Volteer and a third thing but we can't do that just yet. I dont want it making the second item on the adgenda harder." Cynder didn't hear anything other than honesty, no sarcasm, or even a hint of suggestion. Not even on the third detail he left out. While Cynder analyzed the itenerary he picked a third roasted sheep's leg down to the bone.

"Well, I've had my fill. I'll see you in the morning." Spyro clicked his tongue satisfied, he got up and Cynder began to follow by reflex. Quiet as she was the telltale clicking of claws on masonry alerted his battle honed senses.

"Why are you following? We don't have the chain anymore, enjoy your freedom. It is what you wanted all along wasn't it?" She raised her head, instinct made her follow him and she had gotten used to the magic bond. To be honest she felt bare without it.

"I had already forgotten about that to be truthful. Who am I kidding? It's strange but I already miss the thing. It felt as if was ingrained in our nature but it's gone now." They strode through the temple halls and toward the rooms as they spoke.

"I know what you mean." He tapped at the base of his throat to emphasize his next point. "Like a weight taken off our necks after it was there for a while. We got used to it but now that it's gone we feel as if a piece of us is missing."

"Exactly. I'm glad you feel this way too. It would break my soul if you were to leave me." She confessed quietly so no eavsdroppers that could have been around were deaf to the movement of her mouth.

"Not on your life, we made a promise remember? Just keep a level head about yourself and don't worry so much. Neither of us are going anywhere anytime soon." They stopped in front of his door, Spyro hastily scanned the hallway. Hearing feint snoring coming from rooms adjacent to theirs and seeing no one behind them. They were alone, he slipped her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Good night." He entered his room and when he turned, she was still there. Stricken with shock and frozen in place while a blush turned her dark scales a dark burgundy. With a smile of satisfaction that her embarrassment brought with he mouthed one word. Hidden behind that sadistic enjoyment hung his heavy heart, weighed down by one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

_"Revenge."_ Spyro then closed the door with a busy mind, blocking her from view.

She stood there for who knows how long, until her mind started to work again. She quickly caught on to what he was doing.

"Cocky bastard." With that she entered her own room.

Little did anyone but Spyro know, the calm before the storm was about to end. Soon all hell will break loose and either all will perish with destruction being the iron fisted ruler, or peace will be brought with one of many hard battles to come. His blood will stain the earth or all others will flood it. Only one has the slightest odds of ending well, although neither will be easy or pretty in the methods.

* * *

**Oh boy this was long and I hope it didn't disappoint. It may not seem like it but this chapter alone is ALMOST DOUBLE of what I have total. And I can use curses now AND we have the scene seaparation line! YAY! For real though I will try to contain swearing a fair amount. A few things though. I forgot to mention this but whenever I use measures I will use US measures and have the metric equivalent next to it for ease of those who are on metric. I am also going to be cutting back on these notes, they will only be long if there is information that is important to the story. THANKS FOR READING!!!**


	8. Nightmares of The Condemned Heroes

**More than 20k total words! Another big chapter will come soon.**

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Waking up in a cold sweat was never fun, nightmares haunt our dreams for as long as we can remember. Rare are those that are so vivid that even after you awaken you can still feel the effects. The worst part is he was lucid, he knew what was happening, had control but he just couldn't stop.

The coppery taste of thick blood hung heavy on his tongue. The sound of flesh and sinue tearing and deafening screams of agony. The petrified stares of the dead and rapid, darting glances of those trying to desperately avoid the swing of the reaper's blade but to no avail. The putrid stench of death and acrid smoke of buildings turned to pyres lingered as if they were real. Maybe they were? What if the sweat was from the effort that caused these tastes, scents, sights and sounds?

Fumbling off the bed, he made his way to the clear blockade to the balcony and slid it open. The night was brisk. No heat from burning buildings or bodies. The world felt cold, no life presented itself in the streets. This was peculiar for the large city, the citizens of day were no where to be found in the darkness of night.

"Good, nothing."

Looking back at the bed with tired eyes he contemplated returning to sleep. After the third time waking up that night, he resolved that it would just happen again. Choosing to walk instead.

The halls were dimly lit by torches. The numerous windows, stained and clear, glinted in their various colors when the light struck them in a certain way. Columns graced the sides of the hall every so often as their main role was support, not decoration.

The building's halls were constructed in a square with different wings separating themselves in accordance with different purposes. The west wing was the formal hall as it had the dining room, kitchen and meeting hall, along with some others whose purposes are not yet known.

The south hall was the main entrance and contained the most decor, engraved pillars and stained windows.

The eastern wing were the guardians' offices as well as Volteer's alchemical maze known as his laboratory. It also had an expansive library that easily made this the largest part of the building.

Each hall contained one similarity, they all had ornate slats carved toward the courtyard. This allowed the tranquil sound of flowing water to rebound off the walls, keeping the sense that this is also a temple.

At the Southeast corner was a staircase that led up to the bedrooms. He didn't know what else the place hid behind its sturdy doors but he will probably find out later.

During his second lap a bright light caught his eye. Too blinding to be one of the torches, it was coming from the library.

"Hello Volteer. Find anything?" Spyro asked as he greeted the amber dragon who was surrounded by books, a few opened and propped up on stacks of others. He also had a jar with a crystalline snake.

"Spyro! Good morning, or evening, whatever the time. Yes I have actually, this is just an ordinary serpent infused with magic. It is called Lithos Serpentes." The old dragon looked tired, his eyes were sunken in, the sockets looked dark and puffy as if he hadn't slept for a second.

"How imaginative." Spyro chuckled and shook his head at the unoriginal title.

"I am aware of how bland that name is so I have taken it upon myself to create a new title. Mythicon Jade Serpentem Vectem. Lengthy? Absolutely, however it sounds much better than Lithos Serpentes. Would you like to know of its habits?" Even exhausted Volteer had the energy of a lightning storm.

"Sure, I could use a distraction." He could see sparks arcing from the now excited guardian.

"The most obvious quality to begin with os its appearance. It is a normal reptile but once threatened or in effort to conserve energy, it turns solid. To do this it requires a magical energy, so far I have seen it absorb a shard of a green gem and I placed my paw next to the glass. It moved toward me and even though it had no physical contact with me, I felt my elemental potential deplete. In conclusion, it feeds off of mana." Drawing a quick lungful, holding it for a second, then returning to a regular breathing pattern, he finished.

"That was a lot to take in." He paused to scour the knowledge. "You said it feeds off mana. Cynder and I came across some large green gems and we each absorbed half. It seemed to have increased our potential but based on what you just told me we didn't gain any benefit from them. The snakes just loosened their grasp on our capabilities when satiated them with the gems." He speculated.

"An immaculate, intriguing and totally accurate inference." His suspicions were confirmed by this. "Now that it has been removed, have you felt more energetic? More alive even?"

_Alive._

With whatever it is that poisons his thoughts and robs him of control, alive wasn't the right word. Living? Yes. Alive? Not for a long time, the night of eternal darkness made sure of that.

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about but I need to know that you can keep it a secret." Volteer nodded to the request and didn't speak, signifying that he won't tell a soul.

"Ok. This is the situation and what I need."

* * *

She woke with a jolt, startled from visions of her dark past. Mangled bodies, young and old strewn about blood stained fields. Decay and pestilence stung her nostrils. The worrying thing was it didn't bother her.

_"All dragon warriors from this camp have been confirmed dead. Our losses are far greater however." The ape reported to the general of the dark army. She scoffed, their numbers weren't her concern._

_Her strategy was to sacrifice as many pawns as it took to expose the king. It worked in this particular case, she saw the dark queen knocking over the most vital piece on the side of light. When she envisioned this, her tail pierced through metal, scale, flesh and bone. Through the heart of the enemy commander. Skirmishes like this were as important as any tide turning battle, this she learned from her master._

_"No matter. We've accomplished what we came here to do. I have to go report to my master." She spoke in that enigmatic, collected voice her fully grown form had and licked the blood of their leader off her tail. In the grand scheme he was merely a bishop, close to the king. Their king whoever he was, lost a valuable asset here._

This was all she remembered from the dream. Ancestors how she hoped it was a dream.

"What the hell? I couldn't remember anything from then. Why now?" She groaned, still under the influence of sleep. She opened an eye and aimed it at the clear door. It was still dark.

"More sleep then." Even if she didn't want to return to the troubled slumber she had no choice in the matter. As she felt the familiar numb overtake her mind, she was hit with a wave of energy and opened her eyes. She found herself in a new place. Her fighter's instinct took over and she scanned the room.

Strange but familiar. She sensed no threat but instead, a presence of calm control. The aura of an old friend.

"Hello Cynder. You are most likely wondering why I have brought you here." Ignitus addressed her.

"Not really. I know it's important but I'm surprised you're alive. Spyro said you are the new Chronicler but it will always be shocking to see someone who died in living flesh."

"Don't remind me, please. Even with resistance to heat as a fire dragon burning to death isn't a kind fate." His muscles twitched like they were remembering the agony of searing flames melting scale and flesh.

"Sorry, so what is it?" Cynder asked, with a sigh he replied.

"Spyro. He's doing something stupid that will most likely end with him, you, the other guardians or many others dead. He is trying to kill his dark side." This didn't surprise Cynder in the slightest. She knew his internal conflict was taxing his body and mind. Hell, she even knew this herself.

"What will he do and how do we stop it." For her this was serious as death itself. The lives of her allies, her friend and her own are top priority. After all the havoc she wrought, while under the dark master's control, she felt that saving lives was her repentance.

"You could try to talk him out of it but he will be stubborn, or you could fight to incapacitate. Either way that is for you to discover and figure out. This image should help you resolve this matter." Ignitus summoned a book and opened it to an illustration.

It portrayed a Spyro, shouded in darkness, fighting a blood red dragon, presumably a fire elemental. The unknown dragon was reared back with claws curled up in a fist. Spyro had his tail thrusting forward, toward the new arrival's chest. The guardians were battered and bleeding, unconsious or tired and waiting to be finished. Cynder was no where to be found.

"I have an idea of what can be done." She studied the image more closely, predicting what will happen and what can be changed. The book shut and floated away.

"I apologise for the quick conclusion to this but it will soon be day, time flows differently here. Don't fret about aaking up though. You will feel lethargic at first but you will get... I guess you could describe it as a second wind after a couple minutes. Farewell Cynder, I hope our next audience will be under more pleasant circumstances." A strange feeling filled her body. It felt like she was weightless and had a fuzzy mind.

Cynder cracked open an eye, which was immediately assaulted by the rays of first light. Groggy and sluggish she sat up on the bed and recounted her encounter with the old fire mentor while rubbing the sleep feom her eyes. Not long after she was filled with life and ready to take on whatever life may throw her way.

"Guess I'd better get started." She told herself and left the room. Walking only a few short paces, Cynder stopped in front of Spyro's door. Making a vow silently but it was one she would never disobey.

"I've got your back. Through thick and thin." With this oath, Cynder went down the stairs to begin her day.

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**Thank you very much Darkgaia25 for the review. It was the first with honest feedback and I had to read it over 4 times to covince myself that it's real and I'm not completely insane. I would like to hear more from you guys so if there's anything you want to add or a direction you want the story to take, I will try as long as it's not too crazy. I want to extend the thanks to Morgan freeman, not the real one but that's what the name was so that's what it is here. Also we have 5 favs now, not sure who because there was no notification but thank you as well whoever you are.**


	9. Calm Before the Storm

**Before I begin I want to address one of Darkgaia's reviews. Not all of that last chapter was mine. "Through thick and thin." was all you. It was in your first review and I decided to include it as a subtle nod of ****appreciation and recognition to you of course it's not so subtle now.**

**MysticOTDH, you outlined some of the many flaws in my story and I will strive to better my writing in the future. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and if you guys haven't read any of his works I heavily suggest doing so, they are incredible story wise and well written.I have started reading them and from the start they are great. Honestly good enough to be canon. **

**I hope you guys enjoy.**

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"Alright Volteer, where are you?" Cynder asked herself while searching for him. She had already ran into Terrador and Cyril in the dining room. Neither knew where Spyro was and she had checked his room. It was empty.

The dining hall was where the two guardians were and volteer was no where to be seen. She knocked on his bedroom door and there was no reply, not even the snoring she remembered from when she snuck out of the temple that day. This only left a couple more places.

She made her way into the alchemy room but found no evidence of anyone being here for a while. No burners released flames and all manner of vials, jars and containers sat idle. The next room was the library which had a few tables with books. One of which had several towers, a glass jar and a big amber dragon snoring and mubling at it.

"Of course he's asleep." She muttered to herself. Cynder nudged him, he groaned. She pushed some more and his eyelids fluttered.

"I'm sorry about this Volteer." Cynder apologized just before she jabbed him in the shoulder with the tip of her tail blade. Not too deep though, just below the tough hide and into the sensitive tissue beneath.

"Don't sacrifice me to the spider god!" Volteer shouted in one second flat while shooting his paw up to the superficial wound. Grasping the sore spot on his shoulder, finally consious. He took stock of what was in front of him, remembering what he was doing, and then shifted his gaze to the dragoness beside him.

"Oh greetings. Ignore that small outburst. I assume you want to know something if you are here." He quickly recovered from whatever dream was still present when he awoke. Volteer didn't wait for her response and immediately began to organize books in neat stacks so ge could put them back.

"Yes two things actually. What have you found out about the snake?" Cynder immediately regretted this question as soon as she saw the smile plastered on his snout and quickly added. "The condensed version please."

The broad smile lowered itself into almost a flat line of lips with only the corners upturned.

"Well it would appear that it feeds off magic, mainly mana gems. We also believe that it was hindering your elements and your capacity to use them, we being Spyro and I. You both should be able to use your elements for longer and learn some new tecniques." He went to keep talking but Cynder stopped him and asked her next question.

"Where is he anyway? I have to speak with him." You don't have to be a vocal analyst to detect the urgency in her tone.

"The last I recall we were talking and he asked where he could find his pest of a brother. I told him he wastes the days away bear the memorial pyres but spends the rest of the day moping about outside the walls."

"Thank you so much for this information! I have to go now." She spoke rather loudly for this was a library. Just as she turned to run out he grabbed her leg.

"I warn you though, Spyro believes it's best to keep your presence here a secret for the time being and I agree with him. A statement will be made but for now stick to the shadows." With a confident smirk Cynder walked toward the door.

"You know me. Shadow is my element." With that she left.

"She doesn't even know where it is."

* * *

"Where even is the memorial?" Cynder questioned herself as she approached the doors that led out into the city. Realizing that you are unprepared after being cocky isn't exactly good on impressions. If there's one thing she's good at however, it is finding her way. Even though she was stubborn, any assistance would be appreciated.

Outside the massive doors stood the guards. It was a slow day and still fairly early. The dark green earth guard still stood but the tusked fire dragon wasn't there, instead it was an ice dragon that bore the same armor as the others.

Opposite his fire counterpart, he appeared younger than the green one. His horns stuck up and back, shaped like icicles. The horns were light bluish gray that complemented his also light blue scales that darkened in a seemless gradient pattern. The color of the guard's underbelly couldn't be seen on accout of the steel plate armor that protected him. Since Cynder had already met the green dragon, to some extent, she asked him for direction.

"Excuse me sir, do you know where I can find the memorial pyres?" The guard smiled at her.

"It's good that you're getting out, not just staying inside. No, I'm sorry. As a sergeant of the guard I really only go from here to the barracks and to my home unless it's an occasion or my day off. Boreus here can tell you though." Boreus perked up and his tired eyes shot open when his name was spoken.

"He was a bit of a party boy before he joined the guard so he knows the layout of the city. Good for directions." The guard continued.

"Yeah I was up until recently. It was great too, didn't have to get up before light and way more hotties than in the barracks." Boreus spoke with a smirk.

"I don't doubt that but you don't have a chance either way. Last I remember you said the last woman cost you half your measly wage and a few bottles of wine!" He struggled to finish but did and laughed heartily at the banter. Cynder too had to suppress a giggle.

"Go screw yourself." Boreus was getting standoffish.

"That's what I have a mate for! You should try to get one, settling down a bit early isn't near as bad as you think. We have long lives compared to other species so we should enjoy it with who we love." He kept chuckling, the deeper he got under the newbie's scales the better.

"Whatever. To answer your question you want to take this main path down, take the second right and keep on that way for a while. You should come to a large park with a stone walkway that leads to a dais, those are the pyres. I honestly don't know why people called them pyres because they are braizers." He finished.

"Thank you for the directions and information but is there any discreet way there?" Cynder asked, still listening intently.

"Looking to stalk your purple friend? I'm just kidding, he asked the same thing" Boreus pointed out a stone walkway that circled the building. "If you follow this path around to the northwest corner of the temple there are two alleies straight from it. Take the narrow one and the last building on the right has a rooftop terrace, it's open to the public but it is secluded and not many know of it. Good place for a date now that I think about it." He stared off toward the location and nodded slowly.

"Come on man! I swear you can't go five minutes without thinking of ways to bed some unfortunate soul. I know what you're thinking and quit it, it's disgusting. Plus she's way younger than either of us." The earth guard got defensive of Cynder.

"What? How old are you? No disrespect of course." Boreus gauged her to be around his age, mid thirties.

"Let's see. I was enslaved for that long, the eternal night was only a week or two after, then I was in a crystal for three years, then another two months. Hmmm. Around fifteen or sixteen by my estimate, same as Spyro." This left the ice dragon's jaw on the ground and had him scramble for words. His eyes shot over her form, not checking her out but trying to figure out how this was possible.

"B-But your body, I mean form, I mean... size?" Boreus rephrased his question to not sound perverse but stuttered throughout his verbal struggle.

"I think you should ask Volteer for that explanation. You should spend more time with your superiors especially since they are the ones that you're protecting." The other guard stooped Boreus before he made even more of a fool of both himself and the entirety of the guard.

"Alright then I'll just go do that. Cover for me for a while." The ice dragon heaved open the door and started to hunt for the sane madman with all the answers.

"HEY WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE OUR POSTS!" The remaining guard shouted after his buddy.

"YOU AND I BOTH KNOW YOU'RE WELL CAPABLE TO COVER US BOTH. BESIDES IT'S A SLOW DAY WITH EVERYONE OUT!" Was the response that echoed from within the hall.

"That idiot is going to get us into serious trouble one day." He said to himself more than her and shook his head solemnly.

"Well... thank you for that conversation. I enjoyed listening to it and when he comes back thank him for me." The guard smiled kindly and nodded his promise.

"One more thing before you go. Be careful, there are a lot of people out there who were glad when you died and if they see you they might try to make it a reality again." His tone was flat and serious, stressing the words be careful. Cynder was not at all surprised, they probably haven't heard of what she had done yet and she still hasn't fully forgiven herself for what she has done while corrupted.

"However those you saved and assisted during the battle shared their stories and changed some hearts, very few though." He continued. At least not all of this news was bad.

"Thank you for telling me this, mister?" She hinted for his name.

"Oh right. You haven't heard my name yet, my apologies. You can call me Malachi or Mal and my hostile colleague from the other day is Brim, short for Brimstone. He's one of many who don't like you and I can almost guarantee that he spread word that you are both among the living. Don't let me keep you any longer, I'm sure you're busy." Cynder realized that she must have been there for several minutes. Spyro could have left the place that she is about to depart to.

"Thank you for the introductions Malachi. I'll be going now." Just as she started to trot down the stairs and to the path she turned back. "For a guard you sure are friendly."

"It depends on the company around me. I am a very good judge of character so I know how to act around others. For example I know you struggle to right wrongs that weren't even your's to begin with. You taint your mind with this conflict and see yourself as a villain. However you are just another friendly soul that suffers from the repercussions that were wrought by Malefor's evil influence. So I treat you as such, a friendly soul." With a warm smile Malachi awaited her answer. Cynder narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

"I don't like how accurate that is." she let out a frustrated growl. "Not to be rude but I can't spend anymore time here. That will have to be a conversation for later." The malachite colored guard nodded in agreement and without another word, allowed her to leave.

'That was unnerving to say the least.' She thought to herself as she walked down the path that Boreus indicated earlier. Turning the first corner something felt immediately off. The only sounds that eminated were that of rustling leaves on bushes that adorned the temple side of the path.

Her claws, clicking on the cobblestone road added to the din and reverberated down the empty alleies between the close buildings. These structures were made of the same durable, yellowed stone as the streets, stairs and walls that fortified the city. No movement showed itself in the windows that faced her. Not even a flicker of life from the inhabitants of the buildings she passed. A city with no people felt foreboding and it made the scales on the back of her neck twitch.

Wind that funned through the gaps between stone houses made a howl that only solidified the eerie mood of the barren place.

"Northwest corner, narrow ally." She whispered and turned down the previously uttered landmark. Water remained in the gutters, lining the dirt covered brickwork and filling the space with the stench of stagnation. Devoid of most light, even during the day. The perfect place for an ambush.

Listening for any minor sounds that would suggest being followed, she progressed through the dank corridor. Every drip of water from drains made her tense up. Her own claws tapping against the ground gave the illusion of another coming behind her. Nothing happened and she was only a few steps away from the stairs that led to her destination, her salvation from all this paranoia that sewed itself in her mind.

Each elevated step bringing her closer to him. Every breath that was drawn fueled the motion of her limbs and the anticipation of seeing him for the first time today made the pace of her beating heart hasten. So many emotions and so early in the day. There are sure to be more later but for now what she experienced was determination, guilt, joy, frustration, nervousness, paranoia and now anticipation. All of it culminated into this point.

Reaching the apex of the ascent Cynder peeked around the corner and what she saw was breathtaking. Spyro was there, sitting proudly and observing the field a short distance away. He was basked in the light the flowering, vine laced canopy that covered the terrace allowed. Flowers of various reds, violets, blues and yellows blossomed from planter boxes and pots, releasing an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance. Boreus was right about this being an ideal place for a date.

No magic hung in the air however. If there was any mood to begin with it was set as somber by his sorrowful and pensive gaze. He looked exhausted, like a solider after a long battle. Thinking of those he killed, their friends and families that they would never come back to and in turn their loved ones will never see them again.

"Hey." Cynder called out to him. Jarring him from his trance with a gasp and a few rapid blinks to have his eyes register reality yet again.

"Oh hi Cynder." Spyro yawned and rubbed his eyes with a paw. Sleep deprivation made him dull and sluggish. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough. You don't look too hot though." Her voice was filled with caution and concern as she slowly approached him. Caution because of what she knows about what is happening and because fatigue and lack of sleep does to the mind. The latter was more obvious why. Spyro shook his head and sighed.

"I know. I didn't sleep well last night and stayed up when it was still dark out. Talked to Volteer though and managed to extract some knowledge without too much hastle." He said this with a grin. For either of them that was a huge achievement. It would be for anyone in fact.

"So is he down there?" Cynder inquired while she scanned the field. It was empty other than a few large oak trees that provided shade near the winding pathways. One of which led to a raised platform with... only two braizers.

One with an orange fire with hints of red flame coming off the blaze. The second was purple and it too had smaller licks of fire coming off but they were yellow. Each eternal burner had a statue towering behind. There was no mistaking who was who as the details were down to the smallest indention on a scale. Ignitus standing tall and proud behind the orange fire with Spyro looking bold, strong and regal next to him.

"No he left a while ago. I was just thinking about how you aren't there with us." Spyro then pointed a claw at the statues. "It's just not fair to you. You've done as much as we have for this world but you aren't recognized and it irks me."

Cynder gently placed a paw on his shoulder to get his attention. "It doesn't matter to me. We know the truth and that's all that matters."

"I know but it still isn't right. You were by my side in every encounter we've had, every fight. Now you're not?" He scoffed and shook his head. He would be livid if it weren't for this damned exhaustion, still pissed but not to the extent he would be.

"I see your point but we have more pressing matters don't we?" Cynder began to press him on what he is planning.

_'Crap I was afraid of this. Okay Spyro old boy just play it dumb.'_ This could be very bad if she catches him in a lie like this. The odds were weighed and this was the approach he was willing to take.

"No not really. Everyone is out in the search parties Terrador organized, looking for any threat nearby. All the others are rebuilding the wall or going about their daily tasks. We can only wait until something comes up." Hopefully this ruse worked.

"That makes sense why no one's around. One more question. Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?! I mean I saw you when you fought that construct with the axes. What the hell was that about? Now you're trying to kill it? How stupid can you be!" She started to get annoyed and indignant. The nerve of him to lie AND DIRECTLY TO HER FACE!

_'Of course the thing I don't want to happen does. I'm in deep trouble now.'_ Still too tired to argue he resigned.

"Look I know I lied but you have to understand why. I don't want anybody to get hurt because of me. Especially not you, which is why I was keeping you in the dark. I'm sorry but when the time comes I don't want you anywhere near." The truth and nothing but came forth. He was concerned not for himself but for those who will fight him in an attempt to end his internal conflict.

"Alright I can accept that but you know how capable I am in a fight." Cynder understood his thoughts perfectly, it was a rational decision. What she didn't know was that his response would be more of a riposte.

"Last fight of ours I recall you were practically fully grown, had all your power and I was just a kid. I still won." Now he was pushing her patience to its limit. As a fighter pride in your combat prowess was everything.

"You wound me with your words. If you remember correctly you beating me got me back to normal so if that's what it takes for you. I would gladly beat you within an inch of your life." Harsh words on Cynder's part but all was spoken in a friendly manner. Spyro rolled his eyes, he didn't know if he should take her seriously but in the state he was in he didn't even want to know.

"Thanks that makes me feel better."

"Aww don't take it too hard, I was only playing." She wrapped a wing around him and gently pulled him toward the stairs. "Come on lets get you some sleep."

"That sounds nice right about now." He stated with a weak smile and stopped resisting. Going down the stairs was a bit of a chore and Cynder had to catch him more than once when he stumbled. The uneven stones of the ally were easier but he still struggled to maintain his balance. Cynder moved closer so he can lean on her for support.

"You don't need to do that. I can walk by myself, though the gesture is appreciated."

"I'm not risking having you fall into a gutter because your body isn't working right. Now lean." He sighed at the command and put some weight on her. She smiled, even if she was escorting him like a friend would a drunk any contact was worth it.

* * *

"Wow that guy can talk. It felt like I was hearing a thousand words a second." Boreus complained about his meeting with a peculiarly talkative yellow dragon.

"Well that's what you get with him. Just wait until you learn of Cyril's ego first hand." The ice guard groaned loudly at the prospect. The plates of metal from his helmet clinked together with those on his back plate as he threw his head toward the sky

'New guys don't usually last this long. Im impressed' Malachi thought and as if almost on cue he spoke.

"I'm starting to have second thoughts about this job." There it is, only four days and the newest guard is broken.

"Haha! YES! Looks like Volta owes me fifty dracs." Mal smile proudly because of the bet he made. He was a good judge of character and gauging people's will power was only one aspect of his judgement.

"You bet on how long I would last?" Boreus may not be the smartest but he was in the streets long enough to put the pieces together. Quick wits was one of his redeeming qualities other than good looks and charm, or so he says. Mal nodded his confirmation. "You're an asshole."

"An asshole that just got fifty dracs. Hey look who's back." Still grinning he gestured over at the two returning dragons. One was helping the other who looked like he couldn't hold his alcohol. Aparently his partner thought the same and called to them.

"Hey! Is he drunk or something?" Cynder looked up from Spyro for only a second and to the guard. Shaking her head she answered while the purple dragon struggled up the steps.

"No just tired and can't walk straight. Excuse us." Malachi opened the door for them and allowed them inside. He closed the door and looked to Boreus who didn't know what to think of the situation.

"For a second I thought someone gave the kid a bit much to drink."

"You too?"

* * *

"Here we are, now go lay down." Cynder struggled to open the door with Spyro leaning on her.

"I don't think I can walk there on my own anymore. You're going to have to put up with me for a little longer." She didn't see this as an issue and obliged. Just as he got onto the bed and she was about to step away from him, Spyro unexpectedly grabbed her which made her squeal. He flipped onto his back so they were on the bed and she was over him.

He laughed the sound and panicked breathing but stopped when he saw her alluring wide emerald eyes. That is probably what he loves most about her, those eyes are beautiful. When she realized what just happened she started to giggle.

"What was that about?" Spyro merely shrugged.

"Don't know. I just felt like doing it." He joined in the joyous laughter. They kept like this for a while until Cynder got a hold of herself.

"Alright then, that's enough of that. You need to sleep so your mind doesn't eat itself away anymore than it has." She tried to get up but he had a firm hold around her waist. She was about to pry his paws off but saw his pleading gaze.

"Would you stay with me for a while?" Cynder looked into his troubled eyes and saw her younger self, scared and alone. Only she isn't alone anymore and neither is he.

"Yes. I can stay."

"Thank you." He wispered and tightened his hold into a hug. Not just any hug but a loving embrace.

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**Sorry about this but I was planning on making the next chapter big. It will be a week or two late as I have midterms coming up. Those tests are frustrating to study for and extremely time consuming****. You might get another short one in between though. Sorry**** again for the upcoming delay.**

**I would also like your opinions on something. Should I introduce humans to the dragon realms? They will be minor characters to THIS story but will have their own where they are the main characters. Maybe I'll have a few chapter crossover between the two, where they play a big part, since it will probably follow the same timeline. What do you think? Scrap it, do it or just make it its own thing entirely?**


	10. The First Rule of Survival

**Thank you soulikiller10000 for favoriting and following.**

**Edit: This chapter was originally horribly written and made no sense so I went back and fixed it.**

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A single cloaked figure sprinted through a moonlit forest with extreme agility. He wore a reddish-brown, body length cloak with a gold colored trim that was bunched and pinned to his left shoulder with a yin yang symbol. The hood was pulled over his head so only his snout and one green eye could be seen. The bridge of the nose was a light orange while the rest of the face was pure white.

Under the cloak he wore a plain brown shirt with matching standards. His armor consisted of red cloth vambraces and matching greaves. Slung over his back was his most trusted weapon, the bow, with its string pulled taut over his chest. The quiver to supply arrows to rhe weapon was also strapped onto his back. He had a dagger, mounted to the back of his belt with a dark tan boiled leather sheath securing it.

Though the canopy is dense, a small measure of moonlight pierced the veil and shone on the dew covered, shin-height grass. Fireflies helped to illuminate what remained in shadow. Through the trees water rushing down a stream could be heard as well as a chilly night's wind whistling through trees, shaking the many leaves and the braches that were connected to the stationary wooden bodies.

There was moisture in the air. Barely detectable but someone as in tune with nature as he, could feel it. A storm is approaching and when it rains, it pours.

His services were once again required by a guardian, this time it was Volteer. His orders were to go out with the scouting parties and look for any sign of the dark army. He was also given another command, find somewhere out of the way that would serve as a suitable arena. This meant moderate cover without too many obstacles, this was hard to find as nature obeys no one.

He had stumbled across a few such clearings but that's what they were, clear. There were no large trees or boulders to take shelter behind. Others had too many of the obstructions and not enough room to maneuver.

'Oh how nature is a beautiful yet chaotic personality.' He thought to himself during the silent run. Stepping on exposed earth, moss patches and anything else that would soften the impact and dampen the sound of his footfalls. _The first rule of survival._

As he threw himself through a tight cluster of trees, he felt a rumble approach beneath him. He jumped onto one of the wooden giants and dug the claws from one hand in for support while the other removed his bow. Even if he was unable to use it with one hand, he was prepared for a fight.

The grassy ground where he stood, not a moment ago, rippled and split into red glowing stone. Whatever was down there was from the armies of Malefor. With him dead they had no directive, no cause. Where are they going then?

Following the firey stone path they blazed was easy, the problem was keeping up with where they were. Even with his feline agility what was traversing underfoot was fast.

Not long after his chase began his sensitive ears twitched as a nearby twig snapped. As a scout, where stealth is a necessity, he winced at the cruel mistake. The hostile creatures snapped their direction toward the direction, not in his but somewhere beyond the trees.

'Not good.' He thought as the subterranean warriors headed for where the sound originated.

In a close by field there was a single young dragon walking through the seemingly enchanted forest. Observing every detail from the tall blades of grass to the lightning bugs that swarmed around. He was interrupted when the ground beneath him violently shook. Three grublins and an axe wielder emerged.

The young dragon yelped and ran into a cluster of dense foliage. Obviously helpless the cloaked one decided to intervene. He expertly nocked an arrow and took aim.

When he released the string, the head easily penetrated a grublin and buried half of the smooth shaft within the body of the creature. With only the sound of a thud to confirm the kill he shifted the focus onto the remaining soliders. He let three more arrows fly, all whizzing through the air one after the next and all hitting their marks. Scanning the pierced targets, he was satisfied.

During his overlooking he saw a few large boulders and mighty oaks. There were only a few bushes but those could be easily removed. This spot made a fairly decent battleground.

"Come out little one, it's safe." He said loudly so if the young one was near, he could hear it. The only response to his call was a small rustling from the underbrush.

"You're alright. I'm a friend." This time he spoke softer to calm the startled child as well as lowering his hood so he could be seen. The small dragon peeked his head out and studied the shrouded savior. After observing the individual to his content, the little dragon stepped out.

He was young, perhaps thirteen, definitely smaller than Spyro when they were rescued from the catacombs. Had lustrous, steel grey scales that reflected the moonlight easily. His horns were almost pure white, they grew back and bent up halfway up their length. He was still young so they weren't sharp to a point yet. The eyes were a sharp sapphire blue.

The most peculiar thing was his wings. They were feathered. Starting with a royal blue at the front and grading into a lighter shade before seemlessly transitioning into white as they got closer to the back. His tail was the same rather than having a blade.

"Are you hurt?" The cloaked cheetah asked the strange dragon. The child was only strange because no other dragon he had met had feathers.

"No I'm alright." The grey dragon looked at the now dead attackers. "Thank you for taking care of those things."

The cheetah smiled "Not a problem but you have to be more careful. The reason why they attacked was because they heard you snap a twig. You do know the first rule of survival, right?" He wasn't scolding the young one even if his words sounded like it. Instead his tone was soft and caring.

"No I don't." The metallic colored child sat slightly ashamed at the lack of insight.

"Allow me to enlighten you then." He walked over to where a broken stick lay on the ground and picked it up. He walked over and with an open palm, showed the dragon the snapped stick. "The first rule of survival is, _a real hunter always watches where he steps._"

"Who are you?" The youngling asked while he looked at the product of his ignorant folly.

"I am the one who is going to keep you alive for now. My name is Hunter. Where are you from?" Hunter asked the steel dragon who looked even more ashamed at the question.

"I-I don't know. I never left before so I don't know the way back." Hunter shook his head, still smiling. If it will be the last thing he ever does he will get the child back to his home, he swore this much.

"Not an issue, I will do what I can to get you back where you came from. In the mean time you could tell me about yourself. Name, what element you are, things of that nature." The dragon lifted his head and looked at the cheetah with grateful eyes.

"I suppose I could tell you. My name is Sky and I am an ice and wind hybrid. My parents are the great wind dragon and queen of Elysium, Elaine. My father hasn't come back from the war against the forces of Cynder but he is the mightiest warrior in our army, Colden." Sky bragged in a tone that even Cyril in all his pride would bow down to.

Hunter was in silent awe but accepted the information with a face any poker player would be proud of. An ice and wind hybrid! Hybrids themselves aren't too rare but wind? It was unheard of! Not to mention Elysium, Hunter had never heard of it before that moment so more research would be required.

"Alright Sky, thank you for that knowledge. We should get going but I have to do something first. This place will do nicely." Hunter then placed his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and blew. The high pitched whistle hurt Sky's ears to the point where he thought it resonated in his skull. In reality it wasn't his head screaming at him but instead a falcon answered the call with its own.

Planting its sharp talons into the cloth guards on the cheetah's left forearm, the bird studied the face of the one who called it. The falcon was a sark brown with black spots on its wings and back. The top of its head was also black but the color narrowed into almost the shape of an arrow head and wnding between the bird's eyes, above the beak. Its underside was a light tan.

"Hello Ava. You have been my eyes but now I need you to be my voice. Bring this message and map to Volteer in Warfang, we will be along soon enough." While Hunter spoke he penned a message and drew up a poorly cartographed map that marked the area they stood. He attached the small scroll and rolled map to Ava who took to the air with the assistance of an upward motion from Hunter's arm.

"Safe journies friend and my the ancestors guide you!" He called after the bird that flew toward its destination. After a few moments of watching Hunter tapped Sky who was mesmerized by the majestic bird of prey.

"Now we can go. We will go to Warfang and see about your home."

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**G****ood news, I PASSED MY MIDTERMS WITH ALL A'S! With those out of the way I can shift some more focus onto this. Last thing I swear, If you are at all curious of the progression of the story you check my profile. I hope you enjoyed this and be ready for blood sometime soon, ohhhh and I say that with a teeth bared, devilishly devious grin.**

**Edit: Ok much better now but what is Elysium? Guess you'll have to wait and find out.**


	11. Update

Hey I'm back from hiatus and wanted to fill you guys in on the current state of things.

As I said above, I'm back and have been working on the next chapter of SoD so rest assured the new chapter will be out soon. It is just taking longer than expected because of school, mostly a college algebra test and an exam that I have a fun 300 review questions for... yay fun.

I have also taken up another project and have a great guy to work on it with so Zacian-Galar Legendary if you are reading this. Thanks for the distraction from life stuff and the opportunity to better myself with another story, hopefully it lives up to expectations. Details for the other project are in my profile so if you guys are curious you can check that.

Everything that was going on is sorted now so I'm good on that front. Just gotta get through this semester and I'll be right as rain.

That's all I have for you guys and I apologize if my lengthy absence worried you. See you in the next one.

-_ Unknown_


	12. Regaining Lost Innocence

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**I'm back but later than I hoped for. Sorry about the wait. In case you are wondering there is no need to worry, there should not be another occurrence in the near or distant future. That's enough of that now. You're here for the story, not my problems so let's get back to it and boy do I have a treat for you.**

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**This was supposed to be one chapter but I didn't have enough time to get the second half done in time so now you get two when the other part is done.**

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**Thanks:**

**BssMde for favoriting and following not just the story but me. You are the first to do that bit extra to my knowledge.**

**Zacian-Galar Legendary for also favoriting and following not only the story but me, as well as helping with the other project as much as you have.** **Much appreciated.**

**DiabloPProcento for reviewing. ****This chapter is for you as it was your idea in the reviews that made me want to do this.**

**MysticOTDH I really have no words. I can't physically describe my appreciation.** **You gave me insight on how to make the story better and now you're keeping my spirits up, thanks.**

**Another thanks to darklighteryphon for your concern but as I stated above, there is no need for worry anymore.**

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**I went back about an hour after the last chapter was posted and fixed it because it was basically wet garbage in a toaster so if you haven't seen it I advise you do. If you did read the pre-fixed version. There's not much else to say than I'm sorry about the confusing disappointment that it was and let's just sweep that under the rug.**

**That was much but it's done. Chapter now**!

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Cynder sat on her haunches watching over the purple dragon in front of her. She made her way out of his grip about an hour after he started to snore and has been there for what felt like a half a day. It probably was seeing how the outside sky was now coated in a warm orange glow from the setting sun. The pleasantly warm color bled through the glass barrier, bathing the room in a comforting orange light similar to that of a warm fire on a cold winter night.

There were many opportunities for her to leave but Cynder promised that she'd stay so stay she will. With what is coming any good memories with him will be important whether she needs to snap him out of it or if... No it won't come to that, Spyro would make sure it won't.

He was scared of what he might do and she was scared for him. One of them has already had to bear the burden of darkness yet here they were with another who was marked by evil.

Knowing what was coming was one thing but even if she had to fight him she couldn't stop her love for him. Nothing could take that away from her in this world or the next.

Over the countless hours she was there, the more doubts took root in her mind. What if he can't control it and someone dies? What if he destroys the world? What if he kills _her_?

All these what ifs made her uncertain and even more frightened of what's to come. This uneasiness already poisoned her behavior and put her on edge. Each time Spyro shifted she tensed up and prepared to lash out with a flurry of claws, should he attack.

'This empathy is not fitting for the terror of the skies. I don't get scared, I scare.' Cynder smiled and shook her head at the thought. She was pulled from her thoughts as he once more stirred. This time he rolled onto his back, rubbed his eyes then rested the paw on top of his snout. Yawning, he removed the paw and opened his eyes.

"Good morning." Spyro said groggily, just now waking up after several hours of blissful nothingness but the rise and fall of his breathing chest and subtle twitches from dreams.

"Actually it's the evening. Feel better now?" She asked while getting up and walking over to her friend.

Spyro got up with a grunt, still stiff from the superb slumber. He moved his forelegs forward a small distance while keeping his rears immobile. Leaning back with rump in the air he stretched the muscles in his arms and chest. After the joints popped to his delight and felt warm due to the increased blood flow, he leant forward using his back legs to push his weight. This stressed his thigh and calf muscles as well as stretched his spine, forcing his vertebrae to crack. Limbered up for the night he emitted a long and satisfied sigh, then turned his attention to Cynder.

"Much thanks for asking. How about you? It's about time we would usually retire." There wasn't concern in his voice but rather care, the care of one who looks out for those close to him.

"Not tired and I didn't sleep while you did either. No clue why but ever since I can remember, once I'm awake I can't go back to sleep until late." She told him and looked over the stone city that was basked in the evening luminescence.

"I'm the same way but that little rest left me drained."

"I know what you mean. Sleep deprivation doesn't really affect me anymore though. Seeing as how when I was corrupted I fought during later hours of the night and woke up in the even earlier morning to fight again." The discomfort was noticeable in her slightly wavering voice and gaze that avoided Spyro's. Speaking about her years under Malefor's caustic claws that eroded away all sense of morals. Needless to say it was an unkind event so it would naturally be a touchy subject.

"Alright I can't do it anymore, we both need a distraction. Me from recent and current events and you from those of the past." Spyro hopped off the bed as he spoke.

"I'll bite. What do you have in mind?" Cynder asked curiosly, allowing only a small measure of excitement to raise the pitch of her voice.

"We could go out and do stuff that other dragons our age do." He suggested with a shrug.

"Which is? Need I point out that neither of us are by any means normal? All we know is combat." This was her one concern, getting out there and having no clue of what to do.

"I have some idea but I was kind of hoping you'd help me figure it out for the most part." He reassured her, knowing what she was thinking and even sharing in the uncertainty himself.

"Okay then, where should we start this little escapade?" She inquired. They had probably been around half the known world and had many options to choose from. Hell, just last week they were probably in a different hemisphere.

"Let's just get out of the walls then wing it from there." There was a long pause, Cynder only stared at him with an unamused look. Spyro shamefully and slowly lowered his head, averting his eyes to the slightly dusty floor. "Bad pun?"

"Very, please leave the bad jokes to Sparx." Cynder was desperately trying to hold her laughter with a paw clamped over her mouth. Not at the atrocious pun but at the embarrassment that Spyro brought on himself.

"Well sorry I tried to lighten the mood." He spoke sarcastically and sighed. "Whatever, let's go." He exited the room with Cynder following.

The two were silent while they walked through the hall. What even was there to say? Neither knew what to do exactly. Only the sounds of clicking claws, near silent breaths and the trickle of the ever flowing water from the courtyard fountain echoed off the walls. With each stride their paws met with the cold stone. Bringing them closer to the doors, and then the open world beyond. Behind the closed wooden giant, muffled bickering could be heard.

"This should be interesting." Cynder spoke with a smile. She liked the guards, or at least the ones she knew. They made for good conversation.

As Spyro stepped ahead to open the door for the both of them he heard the voices fairly well. The one that spoke was obviously female but her agressive tone made her tongue sound sharp.

"You don't think her actions haven't affected us all? I know just about as well as you but there's no reason to," Spyro opened the door, he didn't like what he heard. They were talking about her, hopefully Cynder was deaf to the details. "hate her that much!"

Both heard the last part clear as day but only he knew the true nature of the conversation. They could have been talking about someone else but with what they have been told Spyro had become more wary, borderline paranoid. Besides all signs read that they were talking about Cynder. Both guards whipped their heads around to see who just invaded the argument.

Brim was there and when he laid eyes on who stood before him, growled quietly and bared a small amount of teeth. Of course it was him. Out of the guards they met, only Brim held an apparent grudge against Cynder. She was happy to talk with Malachi and Boreus but Brim? With him there Cynder was on alert, rather than being friendly as she was with the other protectors.

The other was a golden dragon with an elegant, femenine form and a regal gold color to match. She wore a leather cuirass with vambraces made from the same hardened material, each piece of armor was marred from battle and a tad dirty from being worn. Her wing membranes were a dull grey with specks of brown color. The horns however were quite strange. They grew up, ending in points like normal but at the middle of their length, curved forward. Just shy of midway down her snout. When they reached that point they curved back once more. The points followed the same pattern and began to curl back over, not quite vertical as they still pointed back however. Her eyes were a deep hazel with a small amount of green near the pupils and dark streaks throughout the irises. The tail blade revealed her element as it was jagged like a lightning bolt, it also arced in the crescent form of a sickle.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Said Brim with venom dripping from his words. The other dragon looked at him frustrated.

"Do you know how much of an asshole you are? For the love of all that is good in the world just stop for five minutes!" She commanded with a tone of authority mixed with irritation and the hothead merely huffed in subordination.

Spyro who was trying to stay indifferent out of fear for what he might say smiled. There was just something satisfying about seeing someone get put in their place. The grin didn't last long when the guard turned her attention to him and Cynder.

"Alright back to business," with a sigh she shook her head and spoke. "I don't believe we've properly met. Who you two are is a bit of a stupid question so I'll skip that. I'm Volta, Sergeant of the Warfang Guard." Apparently all electric dragons shared one common trait, a rapid tongue. Volta spoke quickly but nowhere near the haste or encyclopedia like knowledge of Volteer.

"A pleasure to meet you." Cynder greeted her with a sincere smile. Seeing that grin on her filled Spyro's chest with a warming joy. There wasn't much in her life that made her smile with her past and all the fighting, so he took pleasure in anything she found pride, happiness or enjoyment in. Spyro too voiced his greeting.

"The pleasure is mine." The guard then changed her disposition from friendly to a stern attitude of someone who is carrying out their duties. "I have to ask you what you two are doing out so late. Scouts have come back reporting grublins within a ten minute flight radius. The guardians have established a curfew for safety." This question caught both Spyro and Cynder off guard, they had never been asked their business before. Spyro reacted quickly.

"We're going out on patrol, seeing if we can't thin their numbers a bit." To Cynder's surprise he lied as naturally as he breathed and without faltering or giving a tell. In the situation she knew it was good that he was able to cone up with something solid on the spot but Cynder valued honesty after being lied to and manipulated for so long.

'Why are there so many conflicts? Nothing is ever simple.' She thought to herself. A little disheartened by the complexity of life. She was pulled from her thoughts when the guard responded.

"Wow they were not kidding when they said you were serious about the whole saving the world thing. To be honest I don't care what you guys do. You could have said you were going out to just get out or even to run away from it all. I wouldn't stop you, nobody would and who can blame them? You two have proven your worth and done what was needed. You can take a break or walk away all together and nobody would raise a claw because you both deserve it. We would of course be saddened by your departure but if that was your wish, we would respect it."

The thought of leaving with Spyro was tempting but Cynder knew they couldn't walk away. Not while there is a threat that no one is prepared for as close as it is. Even Spyro considered it for a moment, no more fighting sounded wonderful but what would they do?

"We might once the city is safe but until then you're stuck with us." Spyro then glared at Brim, begging him to say something so Spyro could rip out his throat. "Both of us." Just as the guard was about to voice his challenge, his words were caught by Volta.

"Hold you tongue or I'll cut it from your head myself. That's an order." She commanded. Articulating each word so each dug into his mind with their full weight. With an irritated grunt he averted his attention elsewhere. Volta shifted her head to the two but kept her eyes on her temperamental companion.

"You can go about your patrol but do yourselves a favor. Act your age. You're only young once so enjoy it while you can." She practically pleaded with them.

"If only it were that easy. Neither of us had a normal childhood so we don't really know what we would do. Besides we have an obligation to keep the world safe, and how does everyone know our age?" Spyro followed the explanation with the question that nagged him since he met Malachi.

"The guardians brief us on basically everything they know. Believe me when I say there is a whole lot going on behind the scenes that you don't know of. As for the whole normal life thing. Go out and have fun, make friends, get into trouble, explore, chase tails even! Ancestors knows there are plenty of girls that would rip you limb from limb Spyro." The two females took notice at how uncomfortable the purple dragon near them looked. He was shifting slightly on his paws, avoiding their looks and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. Both dragonesses were reserved and awaited his reply but one of them awaited his answer for a different reason. To see if she would have to kill him later or not.

"Umm... No time for relationship hunting. There's a job to do and I am going to see it through with my full attention." He took a slow deep breath, the other three could feel a 'but' coming somewhere. "But if someone were to happen by during it, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity." When Spyro spoke he stressed the word 'someone' and for the slightest portion of a second, he threw a glance at Cynder. It didn't fly under her radar but it completely missed the other two. After a rough ten antagonizingly long seconds, Brim of all people decided to break the silence by clearing his throat.

"Don't you two have somewhere to be?" The harsh reminder was enough to light a fire under them.

"Right. Every second we're not out there is a second someone could be getting attacked elsewhere. Let's go." With that said Cynder bent her legs and pushed off the ground. With a few powerful flaps she ascended a fair distance above the group of three below her. Waiting for her purple counterpart, she waited. More out of habit than anything since bond that held the two close was shattered.She didn't have to wait long as Spyro followed suit and he too took to the orange dusk sky. Behind them the two guards started to bicker again.

"Asshole." The female insulted the one clad in armor.

"Put on some plate and spar me. That'll be funny." He countered.

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They gained more altitude and speed with a few more flaps from their wings. It felt good for the both of them, fresh, open air and wind in their faces with the ground moving past beneath. It was a nice change from that stale air from lack of a breeze and musk of stagnant water on stones that the city had. One may think it a marvel with everything perfect but even the most precisely cut gem has a few flaws. High up in the clouds there was nothing but the crisp chill from the constant gusts. Sometimes the pleasant warm air from the occasional thermal that caught in their wing membranes and gently lifted them higher.

Trees littered the green landscape in both sparse and dense clusters. Mountains covered the sun in the distance with its soft glow gently illuminating the surrounding lands. Their lightly snow dusted caps reflected the light with a shimmer of oranges yellows, pinks and reds. Blinding the observer with the natural charm of a setting sun.

"Alright we're out of the city. What now?" Cynder asked while hovering above a field beneath her, Spyro too stopped to hover. Eager to get a taste of innocent fun and normalcy but also nervous. Nervous that he will take advantage of her unknowingness and get her to make a fool of herself.

"Now? Now we just be stupid teenagers enjoying the night." A mischievous grin made its way onto Spyro's maw. "That being said. Are you up for a little race?" Asking this question brought back many memories. Games he used to play with his brother and remembering how fun they were brought a true smile to his lips, happiness replacing the mischief that once twisted the corners of his mouth.

"A race huh? A little boring but I'm good for it." Cynder replied with absolute confidence but arrogance too seeped into her tone. How could she not be arrogant? Her specialty is agility. That quality ties into aerobatics quite a bit. The better question is how could she lose. Hearing the challenge in her voice, the malignant grin took hold on his lips once more.

"Cocky tonight are we? How about this. The loser has to do something for the winner. Any suggestions because I don't have any ideas for what the loser would owe." He proposed this wager with concealed malice. How could he bet knowing he would lose? With his new size and strength, speed is definitely on his side. In a race, speed is key.

"I'll take you up on that but I don't have any ideas either. How about, instead of knowing our spoils of victory, you surprise me after you think of something." Her wording didn't escape Spyro's notice.

"You mean when I win. You're getting a bit ahead of yourself." This time it was his turn to speak with arrogance.

"I know what I said. Where to?" Cynder lifted her chin in challenge. As soon as he named the place she was ready to hurl herself in its direction with a powerful stroke of her magenta webbed wings.

"Not so fast. There are rules to these things. Firstly there is only mid to low altitude flying. You can go just above the tree tops or touch the dirt if you want, nothing too high otherwise there is really no challenge to it. Secondly we can't touch eachother, it wouldn't be fair if one of us checked the other into a tree. I can't remember any others off the top of my head but that's the gist of it. Understand?" Cynder simply nodded her response, bored and wanting to tear down his ego while she relishes in her first bloodless victory. "Alright then. I want to go check out the lake we made when we blew the dam. We ha-" Cynder perked up immediately upon hearing the destination.

"Dam. Got it! GO!" She yelled while twisting her body to face the memorable place. When she was directed to the goal she dove toward the green floor below, picking up speed at a rapid pace. By the time Spyro realized what she was doing she was already soaring across the land at an incredible speed with wind whistling off her wings. The blades on her body seemed to allow her to slice through the air with the greatest of ease.

"So that's how we're playing this?" he asked the empty sky in front of him before angling himself at the ground and pulling his wings tight to his body. He too accelerated at an incredible speed, so fast that the tops of any trees he passed were pulled after him.

This low altitude requires a fair amount of skill as to not plow into any obstacles that you had mere seconds to react to at breakneck speed. the denser thickets were troublesome because there was almost no room to maneuver and he could only steal a quick flap every now and then. In the open fields is where he dominated the competition. The strength in his wings is far superior to hers and in these barren grasslands he gained ground. After a few minutes he managed to reduce her unwarranted head start to nothing.

"I probably should have mentioned we go off of a 3, 2, 1, countdown." Spyro shouted into the near deafening wind to his fierce competitor.

"You think? It doesn't really matter since I let you catch up though." She responded with a sly smirk. If he followed her through the devious plan she quickly developed, victory is a certainty. "Now try to keep up!" Wasting no time she sped into yet another cluster of dense growth. The way she twisted, turned and wove through the trees and their endless boughs made it look easy to anyone but it required a great amount of cunning and technique. By comparison those were definitely not traits of the amethyst opponent.

Spyro managed to hold his own however. It was no where near as gracious or skillful as Cynder but he managed to not end up wrapped around a trunk. Sure he still got whipped by twigs and leaves that left stinging lashes over his body. Through the ordeal he managed to not only keep pace but actually got even with her.

Cynder looked to her left to see Spyro pulling ahead. His eyes were locked hin her face, daring her to react so naturally she obliged. Using her wind element she blew a strong gust, causing a crosswind that will both slow him down and throw him off course. His eyes filled with fear when he realized what was happening but he was too late to avoid it.

"Enjoy the view while you're back there!" She jested bit unbeknownst to her, rather than dodging the underhanded move he twisted it to his advantage. Spyro allowed the wind to spin his body and with a skillful stroke of his wings, went up and over her. Staying at speed, on her right flank and now in the lead.

"I don't know if you were talking about youself from behind or the landscape around. If I had to choose one I'd take the first option but not when the stakes are so high. Besides I can do that on the ground!" He laughed at the suggestion and in victory. What he didn't see through his haze of glory what the rapidly approaching- "MOUNTAIN!"

In a natural reaction he flared his wings to slow himself. There wasn't a long enough opening to change direction so instead of using his wings he dug his claws into the cliff face. Greyish-brown stones chipped away from where he got purchase and fell down the slope. He didn't stay long, his determination and competitive nature didn't allow it. Using his legs he hurled himself vertically into the air and beat his wings to get over the peak. He repeated these strokes a few more times to get back up to height. From his elevated position he could see a black figure close to the water. There was only one way to win this now and desperate times call for desperate measures.

Cynder was having trouble flying strait. She was so near to the goal and he was still probably plastered against the stone. She could allow some early celebration and laughter, albeit the latter a little hysterical. Just when she started to get a grip she heard a whisle in the distance. Not long after the wistle turned into a projectile. A screaming purple projectile that passed her and buried itself in a plume of dust at the edge of the lake. Victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat.

Cynder wasted no time in getting to him. By the time she was by his side the dust had cleared enough to show him sprawled out in a crater of his own design. Dirt and a small amount of mud covered his horns, head, legs and back.

"Owww. I WON!" He exclaimed from his earthen nest. Spyro quickly got back upright and shook most of the rich soil off. Cynder unfortunately stood too close and was bombarded with the grime he flung off.

"Come on you're getting me dirty. Good race." Even if she lost Cynder had a great time. If this was just simple fun, she could definitely get used to it. He ceased the shaking and had a goofy grin stuck to his face.

"I won." This race must have awoken the child within him and suppressed the serious hero beneath because those were the only words he boasted. The entire time he kept the innocent smile.

"I can see that. Are you alright?" He obviously wasn't broken because of the way he acted but she couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah I'm good. Better than good now that I'm owed so what are you gonna do for me?" He asked with excitement mixing with the ecstacy of victory and adrenaline that was left from his high velocity impact.

"You'll know when I figure it out." Cynder looked to the water. It glittered with the reflection from countless stars that began to show as the sun hid its light from the world. Only the gentle, cool evening breeze and the occasional jumping fish distorted the glassy mirror with ripples. "In the meantime I have to wash off this dirt."

"I'll join you. We have to cool down after that. Our bodies are probably overheating." Spyro walked over to water's edge and looked back to her. Cynder had a brow raised at his reasoning. He thought back on his words and discovered the obvious meaning he overlooked. With a shake of his head he spoke. "Not like that. You have to get your mind out of the gutter."

"So you lied when said those things when you passed me?" Her question forced a shameful memory that he had hoped to forget about. All that hope was now gone and a shade of red flushed his cheeks.

'Why has every female I've ever met made me blush?' He thought of this very true realization at what seemed like a good time for it. He was silent for a while, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. Cynder broke him from his thoughts by bursting out in sputtering laughter.

"Why so red? Is the big bad purple dragon embarrassed?" She choked out in between sharp breaths and uncontrollable glee. Spyro hid his confusion and allowed her to get control over her breathing before speaking.

"You done?"

"Yes" She cleared her throat. "I'm fine now."

"Alright then. Let's actually get in the water before continuing." Without wasting another second he wrapped his tail around one of her forelegs and sprinted toward the brink of solid land. Spyro jumped but Cynder was still being drug and without proper footing. Her scales were met by the icy water and a small amount went into her mouth and nose. The water on her body wasn't too icy but the quantity that made it's way into the openings chilled her to the bone.

Spyro dove in and released his captive when he was sure they were both in. The night should have definitely made the water frigid but he didn't even feel it. Sure his muscles spasmed in reaction to the sudden temperature change and it was hard to get a good lungful of air when he surfaced but his core temperature counteracted the effect. It felt warm to him.

Cynder emerged from the fluid darkness with obsidian scales glistening in the moonlight. Water ran over her body looked like liquid diamonds to the beholder. The only off putting thing was her coughing. When he pulled her into the water she accidentally inhaled, drawing some liquid into her lungs. She kept like this until she managed to spit out the troublesome irritation.

"Never do that again without warning me." She demanded while recovering from the unfortunate episode.

"Sorry but I didn't want to waste anymore time." He apologized and swam by her side. He used his wing to pour some soothing water over her head and horns, clearing them of the grime he coated them with. The cold water bothered her more because she didn't exert herself near as much as he did. It brought a shiver down her spine, causing her wings, and body to shake a little.

"Don't concern yourself too much." She purred lightly at the sensation of the cleansing water that ron from his wing to her head and down her body. "So where were we just before you trued to drown me?"

"You were just making fun of me for blushing when you called me out for what I said during the race." He told her the truth rather than trying to change the topic or misleading her.

"Right. To be honest I don't mind. We made a promise remember? Besides your hint when we talked with Volta proved your loyalty." Cynder's eyes met with his and the look he had said it all. It was a look of gratitude and a smile of understanding that only the two who are in on their biggest secret know. The look of love.

"I'm glad you caught that." Spyro leaned in slowly and she mirrored the action. His eyes shut as his lips neared hers, in this moment nothing mattered. Just him and the one he holds dear. A claw pressed itself to his lips and sensing something was wrong he opened his eyes. Cynder had pulled back and had a mischievous smirk and a nail pressed to his mouth.

"Not so fast there. You still need to make up for trying to see if I had gills. Something to eat will do just fine" She closed his now opened jaw and settled for a peck on the cheek. She patted his face and went under the fluid veil that reflected the heavens. Much like his expectations for the moment, she broke the mirror and threw herself briefly into the air then to the solid shore.

He mantled himself onto dry land and set to work. Building a fire that would serve two purposes. Warmth and a means to cook. With the tinder alight he flew a small way off shore and dove back in. When he surfaced he held two sizeable lake trout, one in his teeth and the other in his talons.

"Here we are. Now while these roast I have a couple more ideas of what we can do. Tired yet?" He asked while tending to the now flayed fish.

"A little fatigue but I'm still good to go. What do you have planned?" Cynder layed on her side, watching the heavens above. The night to her was always a double edged sword. It was scary, nobody knows what may lurk in the shadows. On the other side it was beautiful with the glow of the moon and gem like stars that hung above.

"You'll just have to wait and see. Any idea of what you can do to pay up?" He told her being cryptic to hide his plan.

"I have a thought but you will just have to wait and see." She copied his response in a friendly yet mocking fashion. They both chuckled at the words that both found funny for some reason.

They sat happily around the fire and happily wondered what was coming their way. Only the glittering stars that speckled the sky and each with their respective plans know for now. Once they are fed they can continue on their adventure into normalcy.

* * *

**Again sorry**** for the wait. I wanted to get this out a week earlier than when it was uploaded but school and its excess of work is at the forefront of my focus. Applying for scholarships and skill-based programs are also time consuming. I am still trying to knock off the rust I've accrued over my short break so hopefully this met your standards.**

**I** **just remembered what I left you guys with on the last chapter so sorry for the hollow promise. Not to worry though! The next one will be some fun stuff.**

**I've begun work on another project and you can see the status of that on my profile. Anyway I won't take anymore of your time, I'm flattered that you would spend it reading this but you probably have important things to do. Bye!**


	13. Please be patient

Ok I know I have been procrastinating on this for a while but I can guarantee the next chapter to come out the first week of January.

I have not spent time wisely but that's just another resolution to add to the list come 2020. I just have been focusing on life stuff but it is time for a strong return and I will be getting some help with writing soon.

That's all I have for you right now but just know this story will be wrapped up soon. Two or three more chapters is what I have thought out. If you guys want a part 2 I can but will need time to plan because I don't want to have to go back, like I will, to fix crap that doesn't make sense or fit.

See you all in the new year and I hope the wait will be worth it. The end will be heavily polished and perfected.


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